The State has formally filed a motion in the Chief Magistrate’s Court at Nakawa, requesting permission to access, extract, and analyze electronic data from mobile phones seized from Dr. Kizza Besigye, the long-time opposition leader in Uganda.
This motion, filed by Detective Inspector Odyek Benedict of the Uganda Police Force, is part of the ongoing investigation into Nakawa Criminal Case No. A0008/2025, in which Besigye, along with Hajji Obeid Lutale and Captain Denis Oola, faces charges of Treason and Misprision of Treason.
The motion, filed on March 5, 2025, focuses on a range of devices believed to contain critical data that could shed light on the charges against the accused.
These devices, which include a red mobile phone, two iPhones, a Samsung, and an Itel button phone, were seized as part of the investigation.
According to the police, preliminary evidence suggests that the phones may hold data relevant to the investigation and may have been used in connection with the offenses.
The State is seeking permission from the court to forensically analyze the data on these phones, with the aim of retrieving any information that could aid in proving the allegations against Besigye, Lutale, and Oola.
Additionally, the prosecution is requesting that the court allow the devices to be retained as evidence until the conclusion of the case.
The hearing for this application is set for today March 7, 2025, and the court will determine whether to grant the police access to the phones and their contents.
In the current case, Besigye faces charges of Treason and Misprision of Treason alongside Lutale and Oola, stemming from alleged involvement in activities deemed by the government as treasonous.
This criminal case was initially handled by the General Court Martial at Makindye, as is often the case for high-profile political charges in Uganda.
However, in a significant legal development, the case was transferred to the Uganda Police Force after the Supreme Court ruled on Constitutional Appeal No. 02 of 2021, which affected the jurisdiction of military courts.
Now, the police are conducting the investigation, and as part of the ongoing case, they have seized several electronic devices believed to be linked to the accused.
As part of their investigation, the authorities are requesting permission to analyze the data stored on the seized devices, arguing that it may contain valuable evidence regarding the charges of treason.
The request to analyze Besigye’s phones comes amid the political and legal tensions surrounding his continued opposition to Museveni’s government.
The outcome of this motion will be a significant development in the case and could further impact the political landscape in Uganda.
