The Makindye Chief Magistrates Court denied bail to former Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago. The Chief Magistrate, Sarah Basemera, ruled that Lukwago is likely to interfere with the investigations because he is influential in society. The Court has also ruled that Lukwago faces a charge that attracts life imprisonment.
The Magistrates stated she considered other issues in this case, and she found it necessary to deny Dr. Kiiza Besigye’s lawyer bail. The Magistrate said she also considered Lukwago’s undisputed position as a Senior Advocate of the Courts of Judicature, former Lord Mayor of Kampala, and President of a national political organisation. To her, without doubt, evidence of distinction and public service should never be treated as grounds for punishment or discrimination.
However, she notes that they are equally indicative of an extensive professional, political, and social network which, when viewed against the backdrop of ongoing investigations, cannot be ignored in assessing the potential impact of Lukwago’s release at this particular stage of the proceedings. “Accordingly, I find that the ongoing nature of investigations, considered together with the applicant’s acknowledged public influence and the particular circumstances of this case, constitutes a relevant factor which weighs against the grant of bail at this stage”, said the Magistrate.
Instead, the Court has ordered the Officer in Charge of Murchison Bay Prison, and the Commissioner General of Prisons shall, within Twenty-four (24) hours from today to make arrangements to refer Lukwago to Mulago National Referral Hospital for a comprehensive medical assessment and treatment.
The Court has also ordered that Lukwago’s wife and one advocate of his choice shall be permitted reasonable access during the referral and treatment process at all times and shall be allowed to receive a copy of the medical report and recommendations issued by the attending specialists, which are subject to the applicable prison regulations and security requirements.
According to the decision, the medical team at Mulago National Referral Hospital shall examine, assess and prepare a written medical report detailing its findings, diagnosis, recommended investigations, treatment, medication, follow-up care, and any other recommendations considered necessary for the proper management of the applicant’s medical condition and furnish the same to the court.
The same Court has also directed that the Officer in Charge of Murchison Bay Prison shall ensure that the applicant continues to receive all prescribed medication and appropriate medical care pending and following the said assessment and shall implement the recommendations of the attending specialists. Lukwago had applied for bail citing sickness and other medical grounds.
Lukwago said he was suffering from hypertension, gastritis, respiratory complications, and a spinal condition requiring specialised medical attention. He also told the Court that he is 56 years old and therefore of advanced age. Lukwago had presented Gulu City Woman MP, Betty Aol Ocan, Buikwe South MP Michael Lulume Bayiga, and Mukono Municipality MP, Betty Nambooze Bakireke as his sureties. The Court found them to be substantial enough but still denied him bail.
Lukwago, the President of the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) and former Kampala Lord Mayor, is facing a charge of misprision of treason under Section 25 of the Penal Code Act.
Prosecutors allege that between 2021 and November 2024, in Uganda and Kenya, Lukwago and others still at large knew of an alleged plot by his clients, Dr Kizza Besigye, Hajji Obeid Lutale Kamulegeya, and others to overthrow the government but failed to report the information to relevant authorities or take reasonable steps to prevent the alleged offence.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions opposed Lukwago’s bail application, arguing that the offence carries a potential sentence of life imprisonment and that his release could create a risk of absconding and interference with witnesses. The prosecution also challenged Lukwago’s medical grounds for bail, maintaining that available evidence does not show that his condition cannot be managed by the Uganda Prisons Service through Murchison Bay Hospital.
State Attorneys further questioned the suitability of his proposed sureties, including Gulu City Woman MP Betty Aol Ocan, Buikwe South MP Michael Lulume Bayiga, and Mukono Municipality MP Betty Nambooze Bakireke. But their argument on sureties was rejected and not found to be valid. Lukwago was arrested on June 15, 2026. Before his arrest, he was part of the legal team representing Besigye and Kamulegeya in the treason case against them.
Court records in the Besigye case allege that several opposition politicians and activists participated in meetings held outside Uganda where discussions about removing the government allegedly took place.
Prosecutors claim that some of these meetings were secretly recorded by an individual identified in court documents as Andrew Wilson, who later worked with Ugandan security agencies as an informant. But Lukwago maintains his innocence and denied the allegations last week. The denial of bail implies that Lukwago will return to Court on June 30th, 2026, and has been further remanded until then.
As a lawyer, this is the same date when he was expected to be representing his clients, Dr Kizza Besigye and Obed Lutale, in the High Court on treason charges-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
