An American citizen has appeared in court as a witness in the case involving opposition politician Dr Kizza Besigye, making claims about alleged discussions involving military training, weapons and plans to acquire specialised skills.

While testifying in court, Andrew Wilson, a US citizen based in Arizona, claimed that he was approached by individuals linked to Besigye’s group who allegedly wanted training in areas including the use of bombs, aircraft, drones and other military-related skills.

Wilson told court that he was first contacted through Facebook by a person identified as Joel Wakayima, who allegedly expressed interest in obtaining military knowledge and training.

According to his testimony, the initial online communication later developed into a face-to-face meeting where discussions about the alleged plans took place.

The witness claimed that after the meeting with Wakayima, he later held a virtual meeting with opposition politician Salaam Musumba, during which he said they discussed the alleged mission.

Wilson told court that Musumba allegedly informed him that there were Ugandans who wanted to receive military training and that some of the people mentioned included former Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago and others who were later arrested in Kenya.

The American witness further claimed that after speaking with Musumba, he was connected to a person identified as Gen Otto, who was reportedly in Somalia at the time.

Wilson alleged that Gen Otto confirmed the discussions and the interest in obtaining military-related training and skills.

He also told court that he later met Dr Kizza Besigye in 2003, where he claimed they held discussions concerning the alleged plans.

According to Wilson’s testimony, the discussions included requests for military equipment, including drones, which he alleged were intended for use in different locations.

The witness further claimed that he secretly recorded some of the conversations using a covert camera hidden inside a mobile power bank.

Wilson told court that the recordings captured discussions in which opposition figures allegedly talked about acquiring weapons and plans to overthrow the Ugandan government.

He also claimed that Joel Wakayima proposed carrying out an attack using a hand grenade at Café Javas on Acacia Avenue in Kampala, allegedly because government officials were believed to frequent the location.

The testimony forms part of the prosecution’s case as it presents evidence regarding allegations against Besigye and his co-accused persons.

The accused persons have denied the allegations and maintained that they are innocent of the charges brought against them.

Wilson’s appearance in court attracted attention because of the seriousness of the claims he presented before the judge.

The witness explained details of his alleged interactions with different individuals and described what he said were attempts to seek military-related assistance.

The court heard that Wilson’s evidence included claims about meetings, communications and recordings that he said were obtained during his interactions with the accused persons and their associates.

The defence team is expected to challenge the witness’s testimony and examine the credibility of the allegations presented before court.

The case continues to attract public interest because of Besigye’s long political history and his previous role as a leading opposition figure in Uganda.

As the trial proceeds, the court will examine the evidence presented by both the prosecution and defence before making a final determination on the matter.