By Leilah Bbaale
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.
Kiiza, looking composed in a blue suit, was escorted back to the holding cells, where he will await transfer to Kitalya to begin serving his nine-month sentence. Lawyers have faced difficulties representing clients in the General Court Martial over the years.
In 2004, lawyers Erias Lukwago and Caleb Alaka were convicted of contempt of court by the late Lt. Gen. Elly Tumwine in the treason case against Dr. Kizza Besigye. They were fined 1,000 Shillings or faced two weeks in prison, but both paid the fine.
In 2018, City lawyer Jimmy Muyanja, who was one of the lead lawyers in the case against Boda Boda 2010 Association Patron Abdullah Kitatta, was indefinitely suspended. The then-Court Martial Chairperson, Lt. Gen. Andrew Gutti, dismissed Muyanja for misconduct after he banged the table while making his submission. Gen. Gutti ordered that Muyanja never return to the Court Martial under his leadership.
Kiiza is not the only person to have been convicted of contempt of court at the General Court Martial. Muhydin Kakooza, a supporter of the National Unity Platform (NUP), was sentenced to nine months in prison for contempt of court under Gen. Gutti’s leadership. Like Kiiza, Kakooza was never allowed to defend himself.
