In a bizarre twist to the treason trial of Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye, the defence on Wednesday accused the government of coaching the lead prosecution witness with a hidden radio set.
Defence lawyer Caleb Alaka stunned a packed courtroom by claiming that the testimony of the witness, Jennifer Aryemo, was being directed by unidentified government agents through an earpiece concealed in an elaborate disguise.
”We have information to the effect that the type of dress of the witness has not been for purposes of design,” he told High Court Justice Vincent Kagaba.
”There has been an ear-piece and a radio transmitter that the witness is trying to conceal,” Alaka said, drawing gasps and looks of bewilderment from the crowd as he outlined the alleged witness tampering.
”That is why she needs an interpreter and takes time to answer questions because she gets answers from outside the court,” he said.
Aryemo (34) has testified since the trial began last week that Besigye sent her to seek an alliance with the notorious Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) to overthrow President Yoweri Museveni after losing elections in 2001.
But her appearance has been marked by an unusual disguise of thick glasses, a wig and a huge turban. Her insistence on a translator has slowed responses to questions and during frequent breaks the defence says she has been taken to a dark-tinted government van.
The prosecution maintains the disguise is necessary for Aryemo’s security, that she speaks only rudimentary English and that the breaks are not unusual given the high-profile nature of the case.
On Wednesday, however, the defence challenged all of those arguments and questioned why the witness had not been subject to the normal police screening procedure that all others entering the court must undergo.
Alaka suggested that without such checks ”this self-confessed terrorist could carry explosives on her head and blow up the court” but reserved his most strenuous criticism to the charges of witness-tampering by hidden radio.
Prosecutor Simon Byabakama responded to the claims by saying he was ”flabbergasted” and stressed that neither he nor his colleagues were aware of ”that kind of scenario, neither are we involved”.
Aryemo herself denied the allegations and offered to allow court officials to search her.
The judge declined the offer but adjourned the trial until April 19 and told Aryemo to reduce the size of her outfits when she next testifies.
”In the future that mountainous headgear will have to be removed and turned inside-out,” Kagaba said. ”This case is very sensitive and we are not going to take any chances and put people’s lives at risk.” — AFP
