Prison authorities ordered to produce Besigye, Lutale on Monday without fail
Courtesy ; Daily Monitor
By Ruth Anderah
KAMPALA: The High Court in Kampala has issued a production warrant directing prison authorities to produce veteran opposition politician Col (Rtd) Dr Kizza Besigye, and his co-accused Hajji Obeid Lutale Kamulegeya in court next week.
According to the production warrant issued by the Criminal Division of the High Court, the Superintendent of Prisons at Upper Prison, Murchison Bay, Kitalya and Kigo prisons has been ordered to present the two applicants in court on Monday, December 29th, 2025 at 11:00 a.m.
The warrant, signed by Assistant Registrar Salaamu Godfrey Ngobi of the Criminal Division, directs prison authorities to comply with the order without fail.
This was after High Court deferred its ruling on their applications for a stay of proceedings and release on bail.
Justice Emmanuel Baguma of the Criminal Division of the High Court had earlier indicated that his decision would be communicated to the parties by email at 11:00am on Tuesday.
Throughout the morning and afternoon, lawyers, relatives and supporters waited for the promised ruling, which would determine whether Dr Besigye and his co-accused Hajji Obeid Lutale would spend Christmas outside prison pending the hearing and determination of their Constitutional petition.
Instead, at about 4:00pm, the Assistant Registrar of the Criminal Division circulated a formal letter notifying all parties that the ruling was not ready and would no longer be delivered by email.
“I have been directed by the trial Judge to inform you that the ruling in the above application will not be ready today 23rd December 2025 as earlier on communicated by the trial Judge,” the letter, signed by Assistant Registrar Godfrey Ssalaamu Ngobi, stated.
The court further informed parties that the ruling will now be delivered physically in open court on December 29, 2025 at 11:00am, in the presence of the applicants, their lawyers and the State.
Dr. Besigye, a four-time presidential candidate, together with Hajji Lutale, are expected to physically appear before Justice Baguma to receive rulings on their bail application and an application seeking to halt their trial pending the determination of a constitutional petition.
The two have been on remand facing charges the defence argues raise constitutional questions, prompting the application to suspend proceedings until the Constitutional Court pronounces itself on the matter.
Court proceedings on Monday are expected to draw significant public and political attention, as the rulings will determine whether the accused remain in custody or are temporarily released as they await further legal processes.
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