The Mwanga II Magistrate’s Court has issued a final warning to six young men accused of falsely accusing city pastor Robert Kayanja of sodomy, urging them to proceed with their defense without any further delays.
The group—comprised of Regan Ssentongo, Peter Serugo, Khalifa Labeeb, Israel Waiswa, Alex Wakamala, and Martins Kagolo—is part of a larger group of nine accused, which includes Moses Tumwine (currently on the run), Jamil Mwandha, and Aggrey Kanene. On Tuesday, the case stalled again as one of the defense lawyers requested an adjournment due to illness.
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This triggered sharp exchanges in court, with Chief State Attorney Jonathan Muwaganya accusing the defense team of using rotating legal representation and absenteeism as a deliberate tactic to delay proceedings. He noted that multiple lawyers are on record for the accused, and the absence of one should not halt the case’s progress.
The trial, which began in July 2023, has already faced repeated adjournments. Some of the accused remain on remand. Magistrate Adams Byarugaba expressed frustration with the consistent delays and cautioned that any future postponements—especially citing illness or absenteeism—would not be tolerated. He warned that if the suspects failed to secure committed legal representation, they might be forced to represent themselves at the next hearing, scheduled for July 18, 2025.
He stressed that court proceedings, which have now stretched over two years, must be taken seriously, and radical measures would be taken if further delays occur.
The accused have also declined to testify under oath, preventing the prosecution from cross-examining them on the alleged fabrication of sodomy claims.
Prosecutors allege that in September 2021, the suspects conspired to falsely accuse Pastor Kayanja of committing unnatural acts, including providing false information to police and criminal trespass at Rubaga Miracle Centre Cathedral. Five of the accused—who were serving police officers at the time—are alleged to have knowingly given misleading statements to investigators, despite medical reports showing no evidence to support their claims.
The court continues to urge full participation from both parties to ensure timely delivery of justice in a case that has drawn public attention and legal scrutiny.
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