Ono Bwino online can exclusively report that opposition strongman Dr Kizza Besigye is totally confused after his lawyers developed a sharp misunderstanding on his political and legal rescue strategy.
On Tuesday, after controversial Criminal Division of the High Court Judge Emmanuel Baguma dismissed Besigye’s application of staying the criminal proceedings against him and other accused until the determination of their constitutional petition and their immediate release on bail, a sharp bitter exchange developed as lawyers consulted their client on their next move.
Ono Bwino can authoritatively report that counsel Ernest Kalibbala, Fredrick Mpanga and Bayern Turinawe who are Besigye’s long time family lawyers were insisting that Besigye and his co-accused Hajji Obed Lutale should take plea as Justice Baguma guided.
However, Besigye was seen confused and stranded as Kampala Lord Mayor who is also his personal lawyer and political ally Ssalongo Erias Lukwago, Baker Ssekanjako, Male Mabirizi and others were insisting that Besigye should not take plea explaining that taking plea is going to give prosecution an opportunity to proceed and execute President Museveni and his son also the Chief of Defence Forces(CDF) Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s wish of convicting him and his co-accused and sentencing them.
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“What I realised is that Kalibbala and his allies still have trust in Justice Baguma. They think that he is going to release Besigye after taking plea as he promised them when they met him in his chambers, that’s why he was very bitter and asked Mabirizi whether he wanted Besigye to remain in the prison or be released. But Lukwago understands the politics behind Besigye’s case. Besigye’s tormenters are very sure that after a giant like him falls, it will be easy to finish him and other opposition politicians threatening his life presidency,” one of the lawyers told this website.
Sources told Ono Bwino that Besigye later agreed with Lukwago upon realising that he was very serious and ready to abandon the case if Besigye decided to take plea without putting up a spirited fight. Their team leader, Kenya’s senior counsel Marth Karua also supported Lukwago’s team.
Karua pleaded with Justice Baguma to take control of the case by stopping President Museveni’s government officials from moving around telling people that Besigye has a case to answer and will not be released until his prosecution is concluded.
Seemingly shocked with Karua’s submissions, Baguma boasted that he is in the control of the case. He directed the clerk to read charges to the accused persons. Before responding to the charges, a furious Lukwago arrested the plea taking insisting that the charge sheet was defective because it was not signed by the Chief Registrar as required in the criminal proceedings.
Lukwago was supported by counsel Maj. Simon Nsubuga Busagwa counsel to UPDF soldier Captain Denis Oola who insisted that his client cannot take plea on charges with other people’s identifications.
Because of the fight the legal teams put up, the plea taking was adjourned.
However, sources said that Besigye’s wife Winnie Byanyima is also at crossroads because there are voices in government who are convincing her that Besigye can be released on bail after taking plea.
Political analysts who Ono Bwino talked to said that Besigye is in a tricky situation given that a section of his family want him out of prison at all cost even if it means compromising the state system but his political allies are scared that convicting him is placing him out of the ongoing political transition.
Gen. Jeje Odong confirmed that the coming parliament is going to manage the political transition and he warned that because of the seriousness of the political situation that is coming, they is going to be lethal.
Ugandan laws do not allow a person convicted by courts of law to compete for the office of the president and it is the reason why Lukwago is scared of the move even though commercial lawyers like Kalibbala want the matter to be concluded quickly.
Assistant Director of Public Prosecution Thomas Jatiko who is leading the prosecution told Court that they are ready to proceed with the matter as the President Museveni revealed in his message to the people of Rukungiri and Kabale and as the deputy speaker of parliament Thomas Tayebwa also confirmed.
State claim that Besigye and his co-accused together with others still at large were planning to assassinate President Museveni, poison top government officials and overthrow his government by force.
