The government of Uganda has formally presented a range of evidence to the Nakawa court against Dr. Kizza Besigye, whom they have accused of plotting a coup.
In a 9-page indictment signed by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) representative, Mr Thomas Jatiko, the state claims that Dr Besigye had plans to attack key security installations and assassinate Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni using a drone strike.
Dr Besigye was violently picked up from Nairobi, Kenya, on November 19th, 2024, and has been in detention since then.
The indictment presented before the Chief Magistrates Court at Nakawa in Kampala claims Dr Kizaa Besigye travelled to Geneva, Switzerland, on January 24,th, 2024, seeking military support to overthrow the government. The charges alleged Dr Besigye met some people who agreed to become his “security advisors” and carry out the claimed subversive activities in Uganda.
The names of the said security advisors have been withheld, although the prosecution has opted to use their initials – AW and JW – for easy references
The indictment read in part: “Dr Besigye undertook to provide AW (the initials of one of the people Dr Besigye met) with the President’s movement routine and vulnerable points to facilitate his assassination. In exchange for AW’s assistance, Al and JW undertook to grant the Kurdish government company access to the Ugandan banking sector to launder money, permit the use of Uganda’s airfields for trafficking illicit goods, including drugs. Use Uganda as a haven for Kurdish fugitives, and generally permit the use of Uganda for illicit activities, once the plot to overturn the government was successful.”
“That Dr Besigye attended another meeting on the 24th January, 2024, in Geneva, Switzerland, which was also attended by AW and JW. At this meeting, Dr Besigye assured AW that he was committed to facilitating the training of his people to overturn the government of Uganda by force of arms. In this meeting, Dr Besigye and JW further requested AW to assassinate the President of Uganda using a drone strike
The summary of the evidence indicates that Dr Besigye provided a list of security installations to AW in advancing his subversive activities in the country as their targets for attacks.
The prosecution cited some of the targeted security installations as: Simba Barracks in Mbarara; 2nd Division Makenke Barracks; Bugemba Barracks; Bihango Military School; Kakyoma Mountain Brigade Kabarole; Gaddafi Military Barracks in Magamaga, Mayuge District.
Others are the Marine Division, Luzira; Air Force Academy – Nakasongola; Engineering College, Luzira; Junior Staff College, Kimaka; Singo Karugutu Training School, Ntoroko; Military Intelligence and Security School in Nakasongola District; Makindye Military Barracks; the Police School in Bwebajja; and Oliver Tambo Kaweweta.
“At this meeting, the two discussed an armed attack against Ugandan government military facilities, including the Nakasongola Airbase. Dr Besigye requested AW to supply him with surface-to-air missiles and drones intended to destroy Ugandan aircraft at Nakasongola Airbase.
Besigye is also said to have shared coordinates for a DRC airstrip intended for arms drops: 2°17’35″N 32°1’34″E (6GJH72VH +2P / 72VF+2P)
Length: 1,900m | Altitude: 5,266 ft
Identified as MSC (Aerodrome De Managi).
Besigye reportedly received USD 5,000 for transporting the trainees to Kisumu, the Lakeside city of Kenya
‘’Dr Besigye with AW discussed how to attack Nakasongola Airbase with drones in order to destroy the government of Uganda helicopters, and other military aircraft within Uganda as one of the ways through which the government of Uganda would be easily overturned,” the indictment stated.
The prosecution also claims that Dr Besigye and AW created a strong communication/relationship through social media, including WhatsApp and his Swiss contact line.
“Dr Besigye provided AW with his Swiss contact line number +41778138990, through which he frequently communicated with AW on mobile line No.+19543940141 WhatsApp. During the period from their first meeting on 29/10/2023 up to 16/11/2024, Dr Besigye and AW had numerous conversations and exchanged numerous social media messages wherein Besigye discussed with AW details of his intentions and the plot to overturn the government of Uganda by force of arms,” the indictment stated in part.
The DPP said a forensic extract of the record of the conversation shall be relied upon during the trial at the next convenient criminal session
The chargesheet also indicates that Besigye was planning to print fake money and circulate it in the economy with the help of unnamed officials from a Ugandan bank. The DPP says the plot was to weaken Uganda’s economy.
“Dr Besigye further requested counterfeit Uganda shillings intending to sink into the economy of Uganda through his collaborators, who he stated to be officials in the Bank of Uganda, as a means of raising finance for Al’s objectives and also destabilize the economy,” read in part the summary of the case
In a new twist, the indictment also cites other Opposition leaders to have been involved in the alleged plot. The prosecution alleges that Ms Salaam Musumba requested a meeting with AW in Brussels, Belgium, where she invited many other people to attend, including the Lord Mayor of Kampala, Elias Lukwago, Ssemujju Nganda (MP Kira Municipality), Lubega Mukaku, and Charles Rwomushana.
“In the discussions at this meeting. AW accepted to join the plot to overturn the government and agreed to be their security and military advisor. The discussions at this meeting were recorded by AW, and the recording shall be relied upon at the trial,” the DPP stated. The named Opposition politicians have not been slapped with treason or misprision of treason charges
Earlier in the day, the defense lawyers, led by Mr Lukwago and Martha Karua, tried in vain to stop the prosecution from amending the charges against Dr Besigye. The court, presided over by Chief Magistrate Christine Nantege, also turned down the application by Dr Besigye’s lawyers to have him and his co-accused, Hajj Lutale, released on bail. They cited mandatory bail for the duo, having completed 180 days on remand without being sent on trial before the High Court.
Mr Lukwago said the only business that the court was to entertain yesterday was the application to release their clients on mandatory bail.
