The days of Charles Rwomushana speaking freely on airwaves about matters politics and whatnot could be numbered if the State's push to prosecute Dr Kizza Besigye and his associates with treason is sustained much longer.
Rwomushana, a political analyst, has been named in the prosecution's evidence in the treason case against opposition figure Dr Kizza Besigye, with the State alleging that he attended a meeting in Brussels, Belgium, where discussions were held about an alleged plot to overthrow the Government of Uganda by force of arms.
It still remains unclear if being named as such means one could be arrested but following the detention of lawyer Erias Lukwago as well as Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda's earlier revelation that he feared for his safety if he returned home from a trip abroad, both the head and the tail of the coin being flipped appear to have the same thing: arrest.
And that will include Salaamu Musumba in a widening net in which the State is picking apart members of the People's Front for Freedom party that is led by Besigye and Lukwago.
Ssemujju has yet to return home from the foreign trip.
The statement of offence allegedly committed by the three individuals was not specificid on their role in the meeting but the sealing of PFF offices on Katonga Road by security agencies who are carrying out a search and seizure of alleged evidence suggests they could be suspects.
According to the prosecution's summary of evidence, Andrew Wilson, an American a private security company owner identified as AW maintained contact with Joel Wakhaima, a Ugandan citizen based in Switzerland identified as JW for about two years before being introduced to PFF vice-president Salaamu Musumba in 2023.
The State alleges that AW later participated in a Zoom meeting with Musumba, during which she requested training for members of her group in covert communication and intelligence-gathering techniques for the purpose of spying on the Ugandan government.
Prosecutors say the virtual meeting was recorded and that the recording will form part of the evidence they intend to rely on during the trial.
According to the prosecution, Musumba subsequently invited AW to Brussels for a meeting attended by several individuals, including thenKampala Lord Mayor Lukwago, then Kira Municipality MP Ssemujju, Lubega Mukaaku and Rwomushana.
The prosecution alleges that discussions during the meeting centred on a plan to overthrow the government by force of arms and claims AW agreed to serve as the group's security and military adviser.
The State further contends that Lukwago was aware of the alleged discussions but failed to report them to the relevant authorities, forming the basis of the misprision of treason charge he faces.
Prosecutors also allege that after gaining the confidence of the group, Musumba requested that AW be introduced to an individual identified only as KB, whom the prosecution contends is Dr Kizza Besigye.
According to the State, AW later held online discussions with KB regarding the alleged plot before the two met physically in Geneva, Switzerland, on October 29, 2023.
The prosecution says it intends to rely on recordings of the Zoom meeting, the Brussels meeting and other communications as evidence during the trial.
None of the allegations has been tested in court. Besigye, Lukwago, Rwomushana, Musumba and the other individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty by a court of law.
