In a stunning turn of events, the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) General Court Martial has sentenced Counsel Kiiza Eron, a prominent lawyer representing opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye, to nine months in prison on charges of contempt of court. The decision, delivered on January 6, 2025, has drawn widespread criticism for its lack of due process and disregard for legal norms.
Mr Kiiza, one of the key lawyers in opposition figure Kizza Besigye’s trial before the military court, was found guilty of “banging the angle bars and didn’t listen to the chairman of the court”.
Mr Eron Kiiza, the lawyer representing Dr. Kizza Besigye and Hajji Obeid Lutale, has been sentenced to nine months in Kitalya Prison by the General Court Martial in Makindye for contempt of court.
The sentencing follows a warning issued to Kiiza by the court on December 10, 2024, regarding gross professional misconduct.
On Tuesday, Kiiza’s conduct escalated when he confronted and assaulted a court orderly, banged on the bars of the court, and ignored warnings.
In a stunning turn of events, the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) General Court Martial has sentenced Counsel Kiiza Eron, a prominent lawyer representing opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye, to nine months in prison on charges of contempt of court. The decision, delivered on January 6, 2025, has drawn widespread criticism for its lack of due process and disregard for legal norms.
The military court session, chaired by Brigadier Robert Freeman Mugabe, was shockingly brief. In a hearing lasting less than two minutes, Kiiza was neither allowed to defend himself nor informed of the specific charges against him. Observers report that the judgment was hastily delivered at precisely 15:28 hours, with no opportunity for rebuttal or clarification.
Legal experts and human rights defenders have expressed outrage over what they describe as a travesty of justice. Critics have pointed out that the proceedings violated fundamental principles of the rule of law, including the right to a fair hearing as enshrined in Uganda’s Constitution.
“The speed and manner of this sentencing undermine the integrity of the judicial process,” said a lawyer close to the case who wished to remain anonymous. “It sets a dangerous precedent for justice in Uganda, especially when a legal practitioner defending political opponents is targeted in this way.”
The sentencing has sparked fresh debates about the role of the General Court Martial, which is often criticized for its jurisdictional overreach and its use as a tool for political suppression. The court has repeatedly been accused of adjudicating cases involving civilians, despite constitutional guarantees for such individuals to be tried in civilian courts.
Consequently, he was charged with and found guilty of contempt of court.
Chaos erupted at the General Court Martial on Tuesday when Kiiza was arrested after a heated disagreement with military police officers.
The officers had blocked Kiiza from accessing the bar, prompting him to bang on the barricade and insist on entering. This led Court Martial Chairperson Mugabe to order his arrest.
Kiiza was beaten and removed from the courtroom, but he managed to break free and join Besigye and co-accused Abeid Lutale Kamulegeya in the dock. However, he was rearrested, beaten again, and returned to the cells.
Source:KFM ,CMP Publications and Nilepost.
