KAMPALA – October 8, 2025 – Opposition leaders Dr. Kizza Besigye and Hajji Obeid Lutale have formally requested High Court Judge Emmanuel Baguma to recuse himself from their treason case and have their file transferred to the International Crimes Division of the High Court.
The dramatic application was made during a court session where Justice Baguma granted Besigye permission to personally address the court. Besigye used the opportunity to voice profound frustration, stating that their trial was being conducted in a “WRONG COURT,” as the Criminal Division of the High Court had never formally received their indictment from the Nakawa Magistrate Court.
Besigye, narrating details of his and Lutale’s abduction and subsequent rendition to Uganda, sharply questioned the competence and impartiality of Justice Baguma. He expressed that they were “disturbed and stunned” by the judge’s conclusions in previous hearings.
In a calm but firm address, Besigye pointed to extensive documentation, including affidavits detailing their arrest and remand, which he stated were accepted as truth by the prosecution and referenced extensively by their lawyers.
“My Lord, we considered that either you are grossly incompetent and unable to read documents filed before you or at least biased—both of which we consider to be very serious matters,” Besigye told the judge. This, he revealed, compelled them to file a formal complaint against Justice Baguma with the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).
In the complaint to the JSC, Besigye and Lutale are seeking penalties that could include the judge’s removal from office. Besigye argued that they can no longer expect a fair trial in Baguma’s court, lamenting, “we run to court because it is a temple of justice.”
Justice Baguma has set October 15, 2025, as the date to deliver his ruling on the defendants’ concerns and the application for the case’s transfer.
