By Sania Babirye
The government is still investigating the treason case against the former FDC presidential candidate Dr. Kiiza Besigye three years after he was charged with the offense.
The charges stem from a video recording that went viral on social media allegedly showing Dr.Besigye swearing in himself as president of the Republic of Uganda in May 2016.
The state says this is illegal as it's contrary to the known and prescribed legal process through which a person ascends into the office of presidency.
He was consequently arrested, arraigned before Nakawa chief magistrate court, charged with treason and remanded to Luzira prison before he was granted bail by the high court in July 2016.
What is surprising is the fact that while being charged, Besigye told court that he indeed did swear himself in as the President of Uganda because he had evidence that he had won the 2016 Presidential elections.
However, despite his admitting of the said crime, the state told court that they were still investigating the case and failed to close it.
This has always frustrated Dr.Besigye who wondered why state continued to investigating a case hr had accepted from the beginning and in February 2017, the angry opposition politician vowed to never report back to this court until state concluded its alleged investigations.
And today, as usual state prosecutor Apolot Christine informed grade one magistrate Ponsiano Odwori that they needed more time to conclude the ongoing investigations to have him committed to the high court for trial.
However, Dr.Besigye or his lawyers were not present in court forcing the magistrate to issue criminal summons against Dr.Besigye and adjourned the case to the 2nd of July 2019.
on the 20th of march 2017 justice Wilson Kwesiga the head of the high court criminal division ordered Besigye to report only to the magistrate court after Besigye complained that it was too expensive for him to report to two courts including the high court over the same case.
The ruling came after Besigye vowed to never report back to the Nakawa magistrate court until the DPP completed the ongoing investigations into his case and have him committed to the high court for trial.
In February 2017 Besigye declined to ever report back to the Nakawa court for mention of his treason case until the DPP finished his investigations and have him committed for trial in the high court.