Supporters of Dr. Kizza Besigye and members of the People’s Front for Transition (PFT) thronged Nakawa Magistrates’ Court this morning, where the opposition leader is set to appear for a critical ruling.
Among those present in court were Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, former Leader of Opposition Wafula Oguttu, and PFT acting Secretary-General Harold Kaijja, among other key figures in the opposition.
The court is expected to rule on whether the State should be granted access to mobile phones belonging to Dr. Besigye and his co-accused, Hajji Obeid Lutale. This follows an application filed last month by Detective Inspector Odyek Benedict of the Uganda Police Force, seeking permission to extract and analyze data from the confiscated devices.
The seized phones comprising several smartphones and a button phone are being held as part of ongoing investigations.
Besigye, Lutale, and Captain Denis Oola face charges of treason and misprision of treason. Authorities argue that the devices may contain evidence pertinent to the case.
The case was initially handled by the General Court Martial but was later transferred to Nakawa court following a Supreme Court ruling on the constitutionality of military court jurisdiction in certain matters.
The prosecution is seeking to retain the devices until the case concludes, while the defense has raised concerns over potential violations of privacy and due process.
Today’s session, scheduled to begin at 9 AM, will determine whether the State can proceed with forensic analysis of the phones.