Besigye Trial: Audio Suggests Police Sympathy for Opposition

An audio recording presented in the ongoing treason trial of opposition figure Dr. Kizza Besigye has introduced a new dimension to the proceedings, suggesting that some members of the police force may have been sympathetic to his political cause.

The recording, lasting nearly three hours, purportedly captures Dr. Besigye recounting an encounter with several middle-ranking police officers. According to the voice identified as Besigye’s, these officers allegedly visited him at his home in Wakiso District while he was under house arrest.

During this purported visit, the officers are said to have expressed solidarity, with the voice in the recording stating they declared, “we are really with you in this struggle.” This account suggests a level of discontent within the police ranks, with the voice further commenting that “The Force is largely like that, and there is increasing discontent among them.”

The recording details that the officers visited after an associate of Dr. Besigye, Ms. Ingrid Turinawe, had been arrested and her home searched. Dr. Besigye, alerted to a potential search of his own home, apparently engaged with the sympathetic officers.

The context of the recording was further elaborated by the prosecution’s first witness, an American national identified as Mr. Andrew Wilson, also known as Orlando. He testified that the conversation was recorded on January 28, 2024, at his apartment in Geneva, Switzerland. The meeting, he stated, included Dr. Besigye, his associate Joel Wakayima, and himself.

Dr. Besigye, along with Obeid Lutale and Capt. Dennis Oola, faces charges of treason. The prosecution alleges their involvement in meetings both in Uganda and abroad between 2023 and 2024, aimed at overthrowing the government. All three have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

This hearing continues today.

Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)