Dr. Kizza Besigye’s ongoing treason case has taken another turn after veteran Ugandan journalist Andrew Mwenda made fresh claims about the audio and video recordings being used against the opposition leader.
According to Mwenda, the recordings allegedly linked to Besigye were checked by the US Embassy in Uganda, the British High Commission and the French Embassy in Kampala.
Speaking during an interview with the Observer Podcast, Mwenda claimed that the diplomatic missions established that the recordings were authentic and had not been edited.
He challenged the three diplomatic missions to come out publicly and explain whether they agree with the position he attributed to them.
The claim comes at a time when Besigye is facing a treason trial in Uganda. Prosecutors have presented secretly recorded audio and video footage allegedly captured during meetings held outside the country.
According to the prosecution, some of the recordings contain discussions about plans to assassinate President Yoweri Museveni and overthrow the government.
The case has also involved allegations concerning weapons and trained operatives.
Mwenda has previously defended the recordings, saying he commissioned technical examinations to establish whether they had been altered.
He now claims that the material went beyond his own technical checks and was also reviewed through laboratories allegedly connected to the diplomatic missions and intelligence agencies.
If Mwenda’s account is accurate, the claim could put more pressure on Besigye as the prosecution continues presenting its evidence in court.
But the recordings have been contested, and Mwenda’s claims about what the diplomatic missions established have not been independently confirmed in the information available here. The court will have to decide what weight the recordings should carry in the case.