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.
Chaos erupted at the General Court Martial today 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 which 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.
A group of 32 defence lawyers representing Dr Kizza Besigye and Obeid Lutale in the military court refused to proceed in the absence of their counterpart Eron Kiiza, who was swiftly sentenced to nine months in Kitalya Prison for contempt of court.
Defence lawyers led by Kenya’s former justice minister Martha Karua and Kampala Mayor Erias Lukwago repeatedly emphasized that they would not carry on with the case minus Kiiza, saying he had critical submissions.
Court allowed defence lawyers a 15-minute break to consult their clients on the issue of legal representation after which Karua said they were unable to proceed with one of them missing.
However, Lukwago asked court to first deal with one matter at a go- and to include the fate of Kiiza.
Lukwago insisted that they wanted to know the offense Kiiza had committed leading to his swift detention.
Lukwago’s demands were followed by a 15-minute adjournment after which Brig Mugabe swiftly pronounced the military court’s decision against Kiiza.
Meanwhile, Brig Mugabe ruled that Besigye and Lutale will return to the court on January 13th for further mention.
