DPP Speaks on Calls of Taking Over Besigye Case from Museveni Military Court

The Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Frances Abodo has spoken out on her calls for her office to take over the case of opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye, Obeid Lutale and other civilians being tried in the General Court Martial, President Yoweri Museveni’s military court where his critics have found themselves cornered.

When DPP Abodo appeared before the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee on January 15, 2025, to present the 2025-26 Budget Framework Paper for the Office of the Directorate of Public Prosecution (ODPP), MPs asked her if she would consider taking over cases such as Besigye’s. Bugiri Municipality MP Asuman Basalirwa put the question of taking over civilian cases in Museveni’s military court to Abodo, herself an appointee of the president.

Abodo rode on Article 120 of the Constitution which details the duties and responsibilities of the ODPP. She insisted she did not want to cross her boundaries.

“I can’t institute and I can’t takeover cases under the Court Martial. We have looked at it. I just want to stay in my lane until… you will forgive me that I may not comment on that case because the next question is that I comment on those cases,” she submitted.

“I may not comment because it is a case in the Supreme Court as well, so, you will just excuse me for that otherwise, I may be quoted or misquoted and then the sub judice rule gets me.”

Basalirwa noted that even when Abodo’s understanding and interpretation of Article 120 was not the same as his and other members, the committee had summoned her to  “take a thorough thought for purposes of creating sanity in the court martial.”

“We are of the considered opinion that whereas the Constitution in one limb is to the effect that the DPP can institute cases in all courts except the Court Martial when it comes go taking over and discontinuing, we have the opinion that actually the Constitution permits,” noted Basalirwa.

“We invited the DPP to seriously consider that provision and see whether the office can move to takeover proceedings and discontinue proceedings in the Court Martial, especially relating to the trial of civilians.”

Besigye refused to take plea in the court martial when he appeared this week, a day after the Museveni military tribunal added a new twist in the case, introducing new charges and a fresh suspect. (See Details Here and There).

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