KAMPALA, Uganda (UGNEWSLINE) – A police detective has told the High Court in Kampala that investigators paid Makerere University Shs59.32 million to transcribe audio recordings collected as evidence in the treason case against opposition politician Dr Kizza Besigye and two co-accused.
Odyek, who has worked in investigations for 32 years, told High Court Judge Emmanuel Baguma that he received several electronic gadgets from Andrew Wilson, also known as Orlando, and other sources before taking them through police forensic examination.
The exhibits included three mobile phones, a hard drive, a power bank and a wall socket fitted with hidden cameras, a listening device, a watch and a USB cable.
Odyek told court that Wilson claimed the gadgets had been used to record meetings involving Besigye, Obeid Lutale, Joel Wakayima and Frank Kihehere in Switzerland, Greece and Kenya. Wilson allegedly said the meetings were intended to plan the overthrow of the Ugandan government.
The detective said he obtained a court order on March 25, 2025, authorising police forensic experts to examine the gadgets and extract information from them.
He later collected a forensic report and a 64GB flash disk containing audio and video recordings from the police Cyber Crimes Department in Naguru.
Odyek said he took the recordings to Makerere University’s Centre of Languages for transcription. The university charged Shs40,000 per minute to transcribe recordings lasting 24 hours, 43 minutes and 15 seconds, bringing the total cost to Shs59.32 million.
He said some of the extracted information was not relevant to the case, while the recordings included Besigye introducing himself and Lutale.
However, the defence challenged the presentation of some documents, including the court order authorising the extraction of information and the university’s invoice.
Lawyer Farouk Kizito Kamulegeya said the defence had not received the documents beforehand and needed time to verify them. Lawyers representing Captain Denis Oola, led by Sylvia Namawejje Ebitu, supported the objection.
The defence asked the prosecution, led by Chief State Attorney Richard Birivumbuka, to provide all outstanding documents.
Justice Baguma ordered the prosecution to disclose the remaining documents to the defence. He admitted the disputed court order, subject to a challenge to its authenticity.
The hearing will resume on November 2, 2026, for cross-examination.
Besigye remains on remand at Luzira Prison and is being tried in absentia, while Lutale and Oola attend court physically.
The three deny the treason allegations.
The prosecution accuses them of holding meetings in Uganda and abroad to obtain funding, acquire weapons and organise activities intended to overthrow the government. It also alleges that Besigye sought military training for Ugandans in Kenya and planned to acquire weapons and other materials for attacks, including an alleged plot against President Yoweri Museveni.
