KAMPALA – The long-running case involving Pastor Robert Kayanja of Miracle Centre Cathedral, Rubaga, has taken a new turn after one of the accused persons, Peter Serugo, testified in court, making fresh allegations against the city pastor.
Serugo, who is among nine individuals accused of trespassing at the cathedral and conspiring to defame Pastor Kayanja, appeared before Mwanga ii Magistrate’s Court and chose to give evidence not under oath, a decision that exempts him from cross-examination.
In his testimony, Serugo narrated that in 2017, while at home with his mother, he saw Pastor Kayanja on television inviting youths to his church for bursaries and miracles. He said he later went to the church with his brother, Henry Lyazi, and a friend, Joel Kalungi, where they joined Bible classes and occasionally helped with cleaning and other casual work.
Serugo claimed that during this period, he was invited to meet the pastor privately, where he alleged that inappropriate conduct occurred.
One day as we were slashing the compound at the church, the pastor called us in his black car, and greeted us, by then I was 16 yrs, he told us that he was going to work on our studies soon” Serugo told court.
Serugo informed court that after a week, they came back to do casual work at the church and that when they were cleaning the compound, he singled him that after the work he goes to his office when he’s clean to meet up him.
“I asked Joel Kalungi why the Pastor wanted to meet me, and he replied that it was my luck, so he asked me to give it a try , he emphasized to me that that could even be an opportunity for me to get a bursary from Pastor Kayanja.” Serugo emphasized.
He told court that after cleaning himself he went straight to the pastor’s office, who opened his office and whispered to him that he enter, and after he locked the office and hugged him.
“At first I thought it was the usual hug, the hug took 6 minutes plus romancing , he touched on my buts saying I was nice, super and a good jewel to the country, He told me that he’s going to take me to all countries abroad, but i told him that I’m afraid of what he’s doing now, he told me to relax that i had gone to the statehouse”
“He gave me 500k, he said that is your money but don’t tell anyone, and he asked me to buy a new phone and line, I come back he gives me his number, He told me that I’ll talk with him directly not from Papa Ivan as we used to do” Serugo narrated.
That after buying a phone, he was called by the pastor in his office and that upon entering he allegedly locked the door, switched off the light and he told him that he was not surviving, that he later had anal sex with him.
He told court that after the incident, he received some money and was instructed not to disclose what had happened.
The court heard that Serugo’s statement forms part of the defense in a case where he and eight others are charged with criminal trespass and conspiracy to defame the pastor.
Pastor Kayanja while appearing before the same court early this year as a prosecution witness, denied the allegations, describing them as false and aimed at damaging his reputation.
The Pastor in his concluding remarks, asked Court to give the nine individuals a serious punishment which may detter all other individuals from being used in tarnishing people’s reputation.
The trial Grade one Magistrate Adams Byarugaba adjourned the matter to November 6th for further hearing.
Further hearing of the case has been pushed the 6th November before the trial magistrate Adams Byarugaba.
