In the amendments made by controversial Senior State Attorney Richard Birivumbuka presented to Nakawa Chief Magistrate Court, on the charge sheet pinnig four-time presidential candidate Kizza Besigye and his assistant Obed Lutale, former Internal Security Organisation (ISO) spy Charles Rwomushana was named among the characters who leant about the plan by the opposition strongman to kill his bush war comrade President Museveni.
In the charge sheet read to the accused persons, Dr Besigye, his political Assistant Al-Hajji Obed Kamulegeya Lutale and UPDF soldier Captain Denis Oola, State claimed that the plan was initiated by a one Joel Wakayima a strong opposition diaspora supporter.
State claims that through a video WhatsApp call, Wakayima talked to Salaam Musumba a founding member of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) assuring her of a plan which can finish Museveni’s rule in Uganda completely.
They held several meetings which were attended by opposition leaders including Kira Municipality legislator Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda where Wakayima introduced them to a businessman dealing in weapons who was ready to supply to them machines to be used to kill Museveni.
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Because of the sensitivity of the plan, State supposed that Musumba and Ssemujju proposed that Besigye should lead the negotiations and on several occasions, they met with Wakayima in countries like Greece, Switzerland, Austria and Kenya to strategise on how to execute the plan successfully.
State alleged that Besigye constantly asked the white man to sell them deadly Drones that cannot miss Museveni’s head because Ugandans are tired of him.
Besigye is accused of even providing the sketch map of military installations, army barracks and sensitive positions which should be targeted during the operation to kill Museveni.
They alleged that Besigye even started recruiting people to help him in executing the plan.
State said that because the operation involved the killing of the president, the armed dealer contacted Uganda’s military commanders attached to AMISON operating in Somalia fighting Al-Shabab terrorists who briefed their bosses in Kampala to swiftly swing into action.
State stated that a senior operative attached to defunct Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) was deployed to guide the armed dealer on how to arrest Besigye after collecting evidence against him and his men.
The arms dealer was given spying cameras and audio recorders whenever he was going to meet Dr Besigye to brainstorm on how to put Museveni out of action.
Besigye is also accused of receiving USD5000 from the armed dealer which he used to facilitate his supporters to go to Kenya to receive military training.
These supporters were arrested by Kenyan military agencies in partnership with their Ugandan counterparts.
They were later brought back to Uganda were charged before the Crimes War Division of the High Court. However, their charges were dismissed on ground of lack of prosecution.
State further claimed that as the whole plan was going on, Rwomushana was following everything and he has strong evidence against the accused persons.
The amended charge sheet was read to the accused persons in the absence of their lawyers.
Besigye kept on pleading with Nantege not to allow Birivumbuka to read the amended charge sheet in the absence of their lawyers. He asked her to cater for him because he is fighting a death sentence once convicted on the charges slapped on him.
When Nantege insisted, a furious Besigye declared her Court a kangaroo court and directed his people to move out. Besigye was supported by a protesting Captain Oola and Lutale.
Nantege allowed Birivumbuka to proceed with the amendments after convincing him that Besigye was playing delaying tactics to delay the process of committing him to the High Court.
Besigye’s lawyers later received emergency instructions from their clients to challenge the presiding magistrate Christine Nantege’s ruling of allowing Birivumbuka to amend the charge sheet without allowing them to seek revision of her decision from the Criminal Division of the High Court.
After the ruling, a shocked Besigye asked Nantege to explain to him how comes after committing him to the High Court, she is again also ordering him to return before her court to hear the application which was filed by Birivumbuka to secure a court order to hack his phone and gadgets to get information which can be used as evidence against him.
Besigye told Nantege that he has already challenged the said application before the High Court but a tough Nantege told him to ask his lawyers why he was supposed to appear before her court even though he is already committed to the High Court.
However, Nantege overruled Besigye explaining that he is the one responsible for the absence of his lawyers because he discharged them to storm out of Court.
Besigye was stopped by prison personnel from protesting out of dock.
The magistrate adjourned his matter to 12th June, 2025.
Besigye and Lutale were kidnapped from Nairobi Kenya and they were brought back to Uganda where they were charged with treason offences before the military court.
They were saved by a landmark judgement issued by Supreme Court justices led by Chief Justice Owiny Dollo who declared it illegal to try civilians in a military court.
His trial was then transferred to the civilian courts.
