Jailed Ugandan opposition leader boycotts trial accusing judge of bias

Africanews (in English)

Jailed Ugandan opposition leader boycotts trial accusing judge of bias  Dr Kizza Besigye and his aide have been charged with treason and other offences – charges they both deny.  READ MORE : http://www.africanews.com/2025/09/02/jailed-ugandan-opposition-leader-boycotts-trial-accusing-judge-of-bias  Subscribe on our Dailymotion channel and receive all the latest news from the continent.    Africanews is available in English and French.  Website : www.africanews.com  Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/africanews.channel/  Twitter : https://twitter.com/africanews

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00:01Jailed Ugandan opposition leader Dr. Kiza Basidia has boycotted the start of his treason trial,

00:07accusing the presiding judge of bias.

00:09His advocate, Aaron Kiza, says both Basidia and his aide, Obed Lutale,

00:13decided to not attend proceedings after the judge, Emmanuel Beguma, refused to recuse himself.

00:19He added that his clients claim Beguma is incapable of delivering justice with fairness and impartiality,

00:25as required by the Constitution.

00:27The trial was supposed to start on Monday after months of delays.

00:30Basidia's detention has shone a spotlight on President Yoweri Museveni's human rights record,

00:36ahead of polls early next year, in which he's seeking re-election.

00:40The opposition figure and his aide were abducted in Kenya last year and reappeared a few days later in Uganda.

00:46They were charged with treason and other offences, charges they both deny, which could carry the death penalty.

00:52Although their case was initially scheduled for a military tribunal,

00:55it was later transferred to a civilian court.

00:58A former ally and personal physician of Museveni,

01:01Basidia has stood and lost against the President in four elections.

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