The General Court Martial in Makindye has handed Dr. Kizza Besigye’s lawyer, Eron Kiiza, a nine-month jail term in prison after finding him guilty of contempt of court.
At 3:28 PM, Kiiza, handcuffed, was escorted to the dock by military police officers.
Two minutes later, the ruling was read by the Court Martial Chairperson, Brigadier Robert Freeman Mugabe.
The military court didn’t allow Kiiza to defend himself, nor were the charges read to him. He was not allowed any time for mitigation.
In his ruling, Mugabe stated that Kiiza had confronted and assaulted the court orderly, and despite being warned, he did not heed the advice.
The court heard that Kiiza, who was representing Besigye and Obeid Lutaale Kamulegeya in a case involving illegal possession of ammunition, continued to bang on the metal surfaces and shout in court.
As a result, Kiiza was sentenced to nine months in prison, to be served at Kitalya Government Prison. After the ruling, lawyers Erias Lukwago and Fredrick Mpanga appealed to the court, stating that even if someone is guilty of contempt, they should be given a right to be heard and granted a fair hearing. They requested a formal ruling so that they could appeal the decision. The Court Martial, however, stated that it was functus officio—its hands were tied, and it could not reverse its decision.
