Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye has been taken to a military court instead of the High Court, where he had been due to have a bail hearing, BBC reports Thursday.
He has been charged with terrorism and illegal possession of firearms. He refused to speak, on the basis that he should not be tried by the military.
Dr Besigye has been held since his arrest on charges of treason and rape. His supporters say all the charges are to stop him challenging President Yoweri Museveni in next years polls.
The army has said that it has jurisdiction over anyone found in possession of weapons of war. When two of Dr Besigyes lawyers argued that the court martial, being held inside an army barracks, had no jurisdiction over a civilian, they were arrested by the military for contempt of court.
Court martial head General Elly Tumwine entered a plea of “not guilty” on Dr Besigye’s behalf when he refused to speak. – Besigye is going to be condemned to death by a kangaroo court, said his wife, Winnie Byanyima, a former MP.
Officials from Dr Besigyes Forum for Democratic Change fear the military charges may allow the authorities to continue holding him even if a civilian judge grants him bail.
The government says it has evidence that Dr Besigye contacted rebel groups in order to topple Mr Museveni, BBC adds.
