Opposition politician and four-time presidential candidate Dr Kizza Besigye has been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Mulago National Referral Hospital after collapsing during court proceedings on Wednesday.Besigye was reportedly transferred to Mulago at about 8:20 pm under heavy security after initially being taken to Mbuya Military Hospital.He collapsed during proceedings before High court judge Emmanuel Baguma after protesting the court’s decision requiring him to be represented by court-appointed lawyers Sylvia Namawejje, Julius Sserwambala and Sarah Awelo.According to family members, only Besigye’s sister, Dr Hope Kobusingye, who is also his personal physician, was eventually granted access to him in the ICU after initially being denied access while he was still at court despite concerns about his condition.His wife, Winnie Byanyima, later said Besigye had remained unconscious and unresponsive since his collapse.“He is unconscious, unable to speak and unresponsive even to painful stimuli,” she said.Besigye is jointly charged with treason alongside retired UPDF Capt Denis Oola and Hajji Obeid Lutale Kamulegeya.The trial resumed on Wednesday after Justice Baguma ruled that proceedings would continue despite objections by Besigye and Lutale over legal representation. The two have insisted on being represented by lawyers of their own choice rather than advocates appointed under the state-funded legal aid scheme.The case stems from allegations by the prosecution that Besigye and his co-accused participated in a conspiracy to overthrow the government. Prosecutors allege the accused held meetings in several countries, including Switzerland, Greece and Kenya, where plans to wage war against the Ugandan government were allegedly discussed. Besigye and his co-accused deny the charges.The defence has challenged the credibility of the prosecution’s evidence, particularly that of state witness Orlando Andy Wilson.One of Besigye’s lawyers, Eron Kiiza, has argued that Wilson has been presented by the prosecution as an arms dealer despite publicly describing himself as a private investigator, executive protection consultant, firearms trainer and military intelligence informant.Kiiza contends that the prosecution has not produced evidence showing that Wilson held a firearms dealer’s licence or engaged in the sale of weapons. He has also questioned what he describes as inconsistencies in Wilson’s police statements regarding dates, travel and meetings central to the prosecution’s case.Kiiza further criticised the charges of misprision of treason brought against former Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, arguing that the prosecution has not alleged that Lukwago attended any of the meetings cited in the indictment or participated in the alleged conspiracy.According to Kiiza, the prosecution instead relies on Lukwago’s political association with Besigye through the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF), an approach he argues is insufficient to sustain the charge.He also questioned the prosecution’s narrative that Wilson had been reporting developments to military intelligence over several years.“If the authorities already knew everything, what exactly was Lukwago supposed to report? NOTHING. Misprision of treason requires actual knowledge of a specific treason and the concealment of information unknown to the authorities. It does not criminalise political office, friendship, or opposition politics,” Kiiza wrote on X.The defence has additionally pointed to what it says is a discrepancy in the prosecution’s timeline. According to Kiiza, Orlando claims to have met Besigye in Geneva on January 24, 2024, yet well-documented records indicate Besigye was appearing before a Ugandan court and attending to media engagements between January 23 and 25, 2024.The post ‘Unresponsive’ Besigye admitted to ICU after collapsing in court, family expresses concern appeared first on The Observer Media Ltd.