By KT Reporter
Two of the nine youths accused of defaming renowned city pastor Robert Kayanja have told the court that they do not know each other and only met by chance while in detention at Old Kampala Police Station. The nine suspects are jointly charged with criminal conspiracy and fabricating evidence of unnatural offences against Pastor Kayanja of Rubaga Miracle Centre Cathedral. They also face charges of giving false information to police.
Following testimony from 13 prosecution witnesses, the court at Mwanga II previously ruled that all nine accused persons must defend themselves against the allegations. On Monday, Grade One Magistrate Adams Byarugaba received unsworn testimonies from 35-year-old Jamil Mwanda and 54-year-old Kanene Aggrey. Both denied having prior connections to the remaining seven co-accused, repeatedly referring to them as “young boys.”
The other accused are Peter Serugo, Reagan Ssentongo, Moses Tumwine, Khalifa Labeeb, Alex Wakamala, Martins Kagolo, and Israel Wasswa. Mwanda, a businessman and vice chairperson of Kiganda Zone in Kampala Central, told the court that he was in custody at Old Kampala Police Station in September 2021 on unrelated theft charges when the group of young men was brought in for allegedly trespassing at Rubaga Miracle Centre Cathedral.
He said he took an interest in their case as a local leader and offered to assist them in seeking justice. According to him, the youths continued to update him, which eventually led to his deeper involvement in the matter. Prosecutors allege that Mwanda facilitated the transport of the youths to Mulago and Nsambya hospitals on the claim that they had been sodomized. However, medical reports from both hospitals reportedly found no evidence of sexual abuse, and some of the complainants later recanted their statements.
Kanene, who is 54 years old, also distanced himself from the other accused, describing them in court as children. While the prosecution claims Kanene posed as a lawyer representing the youths at the police station, he denied having any legal role in the matter. Pastor Kayanja previously testified that he saw both Kanene and Mwanda at a press conference held at Kolping Hotel, where the sodomy allegations against him were publicly made.
Because both accused gave unsworn testimonies, they were not subject to cross-examination by the prosecution. They also informed court that they do not intend to call any witnesses in their defense. Their statements bring the number of accused persons who have defended themselves to three, with six others yet to testify. One of the accused, Moses Tumwine, is reported to have absconded from the trial.
The case has been adjourned to Tuesday, July 8, 2025, for continuation of the defense hearings. In his testimony in October 2024, Pastor Kayanja said the nine individuals had falsely accused him of sodomy, alleging a broader conspiracy. He specifically linked one of the accused, Israel Wasswa, to Pastor Ssenyonga, a known rival.
Kayanja expressed frustration over repeated attempts to tarnish his name, referencing previous false accusations in 2010 and 2013. In 2010, five pastors – Solomon Male, Michael Kyazze, Martin Sempa, Mukalazi, and Deborah Kyomuhendo – were convicted of making false accusations but were only sentenced to 100 hours of community service by the Buganda Road Chief Magistrates Court.
In 2013, Kayanja cited another case involving two individuals, Moses Muhanguzi and Ibrahim Nsubuga, who attempted to bribe a doctor to falsely confirm sodomy allegations. They, too, received lenient sentences. Declaring “enough is enough,” Kayanja called for deterrent punishment for his current accusers to discourage future defamation attempts against him or other public figures.
The prosecution alleges that the accused and others still at large conspired around September 17, 2021, to falsely accuse Pastor Kayanja of committing unnatural offences. They also face charges of conspiracy to defeat justice, criminal trespass, and providing false information to police.
It is alleged that Serugo, Ssentongo, Khalifa, Wakamala, and Kagoro—then serving as police officers—gave false information to Detective IP Cotilda Nandutu, alleging that Kayanja had sexually abused them. Prosecutors claim they did so knowing it would mislead police and waste investigative resources. The case is being prosecuted by Chief State Attorney Jonathan Muwaganya-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
