Buganda Road Court has given the state a final 20-day deadline to present evidence against opposition politician Dr. Kizza Besigye and his co-accused, Lubega Mukaku. The charges relate to accusations of inciting violence during protests against high commodity prices.
On Thursday, Magistrate Jatiko Nankya granted the state one last adjournment after the failure of police witnesses to appear. The court took into account the backlog in the system, noting that the last prosecution witness appeared on October 24, 2022.
“I am giving you one last adjournment to summon your witnesses or else you will be forced to close your case,” the magistrate warned, responding to the state’s claim that police witnesses were on special duties.
State Attorney Allan Mucunguzi had initially requested a three-week adjournment, which was opposed by Besigye’s lawyer, Elias Lukwago, who argued against frequent adjournments without substantial grounds.
The state explained that the witnesses were deployed in Non-Allied Movement (NAM) and G77 conferences, considering these as substantial reasons for the adjournment.
Table: Chronology of the Case
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| May 2022 | Dr. Besigye and Mukaku initially face charges |
| October 24, 2022 | Last prosecution witness appears |
| January 25, 2024 | Court issues final 20-day deadline for state evidence |
The charges against Besigye and Mukaku stem from their alleged encouragement of public protests against rising commodity prices, leading to their arrest during the 2022/2023 national budget reading at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds. This is the second time the two are facing these charges.
