State lines up 10 witnesses as Besigye trial starts today

Veteran opposition politician and four-time presidential contender Kizza Besigye [center] and co-accused Obeid Lutale [right] and Denis Oola appear in the dock during court proceedings on June 1, 2026. PHOTO/ABUBAKER LUBOWA.

As the State begins to line up its witnesses, who are about 10 in number, this publication brings you some of those expected to testify against jailed opposition activist Dr Kizza Besigye and his political associate Obeid Lutale, and what they stated in their police statements;

Maj Gen Abel Kandiho, Special Presidential Adviser on Classified Operations

“I’m of the above particulars with sound mind and do wish to state that it was during the year 2022, while Gen Richard Otto, who was still a military Attaché to South Sudan, approached me with information that there was a White man by the name of Mr Orlando [alias Wilson Andrew] who had been approached by some Ugandans in the diaspora wanting to recruit, train, and acquire firearms to overthrow the Government of Uganda. Upon receiving this information, I tried contacting Mr Orlando, but his phone number was off. I again tasked Gen Otto to continue engaging Mr Orlando.

Later, I got more information from Gen Otto, who worked with Lt Col Dan Atwine, who was heading the Special Investigations Bureau under the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence [since renamed Defence Intelligence and Security] of the Uganda Peoples’ Defense Forces, to process that information for strategic guidance and action. Gen Otto continued following up on this information. During the year 2023, I got a tour of duty and informed my successor, Gen James Birungi, about this subversive plot for him to follow up. That is where I stopped on handling this matter. That is all I can state to the best of my knowledge.”

“The above particulars are truly mine. I’m of sound mind, and I wish to clearly state that I was in the British Military for five years between 1988 and 1993, after which I went into private security and investigations. I wish to state that I’m also into writing and authoring books, mainly on security and crime.

I’m also associated with another company that has been in operation since 2023. These companies that I work with are largely dealing in investigations and tactical training on firearms.

The company has a website registered as www.tohff.com, and company activities are shown on that website. Our company provides services across the globe, and I have had opportunities to work in the USA, Haiti, Mexico, Colombia, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, South Africa, and Nigeria, among other countries