Former Kampala Deputy Lord Mayor Doreen Nyanjura has sharply criticised the prosecution’s reliance on Andrew Wilson Orlando as a key witness in the treason case against opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye.
In a statement shared on social media, Nyanjura questioned the credibility of Orlando’s evidence, accusing those who facilitated his involvement in the case of wasting taxpayers’ money.
“Those who wasted taxpayers’ money on Andrew Wilson Orlando should be arrested immediately,” Nyanjura said, describing the witness’s account as a poorly written “script” that, in her view, does not make sense.
Her comments come amid growing scrutiny of Orlando’s testimony as the State seeks to prove allegations against Besigye and his co-accused. Orlando is the prosecution’s first witness in the High Court trial.
Nyanjura specifically questioned allegations surrounding Sh18 million, arguing that such an amount could not realistically be used to destabilise Uganda’s economy.
She also dismissed the significance of what she described as old pistols allegedly recovered in Kenya, questioning the suggestion that the weapons could amount to evidence of a coup plot.
“The idea that 18 million Shillings can destabilize an economy, or that old pistols found in Kenya equal a coup, is laughable,” she said.
The former deputy mayor further turned her criticism directly towards Orlando, portraying his alleged role as a failed sting operation designed to implicate Besigye.
“Orlando, this failed sting operation is your last,” she stated, adding that she believed attempts to implicate Besigye while the opposition leader was hospitalised would not rescue what she called a flawed prosecution narrative.
Orlando’s evidence has become particularly significant in the treason proceedings. He has reportedly testified about alleged meetings, recruitment efforts, military training and plans involving weapons and other equipment. The prosecution is expected to rely on his testimony alongside electronic communications and other evidence.
However, the defence has aggressively challenged Orlando’s credibility. Besigye’s lawyer Eron Kiiza has previously pointed to alleged inconsistencies in Orlando’s statements, including questions surrounding dates, travel arrangements and the alleged movement of recruits to Kisumu, Kenya.
Nyanjura’s intervention adds to the criticism surrounding the prosecution’s star witness, although the allegations against Orlando remain disputed and the court has yet to make a final determination on the credibility of his evidence.
Besigye and his co-accused have denied the charges against them. The court will ultimately determine whether the prosecution has provided sufficient evidence to establish their guilt beyond reasonable doubt.