Court rules against Besigye

2006-01-06 19:01

Kampala - A Ugandan judge on Friday refused to suspend legal proceedings against opposition leader Kizza Besigye until after the campaign for next month's presidential elections, but postponed for two weeks his trial on a treason charge.

High Court Judge John Bosco Katutsi rejected a request from Besigye's lawyers to put off his treason trial until after the February 23 polls and set a January 20 start date for the case against him and 22 others that was to have opened on Friday.

Besigye, the leader of the opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), was seen as President Yoweri Museveni's main rival in the elections, but would be forced out of the race if he was convicted on any of several criminal and military charges he faced.

Katutsi said: "The treason case is fixed for hearing on January 20. My duty is to try the case expeditiously and dispose it off as soon as possible. I am less concerned about the accused person's political activities."

Treason case

Attorneys for Besigye, who had been actively campaigning since he was released from prison on bail, had argued that an ongoing rape trial against their client as well as the upcoming treason case would severely restrict his ability to lobby voters for their support.

Uganda's top government lawyer had appealed the decision to release Besigye on bail and had asked the country's Constitutional Court to send him back to prison pending the completion of his trials.

The court had not yet ruled on that request nor had it issued a decision in Besigye's motion to quash separate terrorism and weapons charges he faced before a military tribunal.

Besigye contended the tribunal had no authority over civilians.

Besigye had denied all the charges, saying they were politically motivated, and the case had sparked growing international concern about Museveni's leadership and the state of democracy in Uganda.

- AFP