Besigye's lawyers have asked High court to halt Court martial proceedings
Lawyers of jailed opposition leader, Dr. Kiiza Besigye, have applied to the High Court to halt the trial of their client before the General Court Martial.
Besigye was last week charged before the General Court Martial with terrorism and the illegal possession of firearms.
His lawyers, John Matovu and Muhammad Mbabazi want all decisions already made by the Court Martial ignored and have asked for the immediate release of their client.
The lawyers argue that court martial is not the right court to charge Besigye with terrorism because it can only hear matters covered in the UPDF Act
They also said the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) did not consent to Besigye's trial before the Court Martial, as demanded by law. As evidence, they produced Besigye's charge sheet, in which there is no indication that the DPP agreed to the charge.
John Matovu and Muhammad Mbabazi further contend that the composition of the Court Martial hearing Besigye's case is irregular. Matovu notes that the law stipulates that the court should only have 7 members, but in Besigye's case there are 11 members on the Court Martial.
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The lawyers added that the procedure of the Court Martial is irregular because Besigye wasn't given the change to object to the participation on some members of the court, as is his right.
High Court judge, Justice Remmy Kasule, will rule on the application today.
