Two witnesses, Aggrey Kinene and Jamil Mwanda, today denied their involvement in the alleged conspiracy to commit a felony and giving false information to the police in the Pastor Robert Kayanja sodomy case.
Testifying at Mwanga II Magistrates’ Court, Kinene, a 54-year-old resident of Wamala village, Nabweru in Nansana, expressed shock at his inclusion in the case, stating he had no prior connection to the other seven suspects.
He recounted being alerted by his wife and a friend about unknown individuals, later identified as police officers from Old Kampala, seeking him.
Upon consulting his lawyer, Robert Ojambo, he learned of a court case involving accusations against an “Aggrey Kinene,” described as a 21-year-old Kenyan from Bunamwaya—details he claims are false, as he is neither 21 nor Kenyan.
Kinene denied knowing the suspects, communicating with them, or being involved in any events on September 17, 2021, when the alleged trespass and false accusations occurred.
He refuted claims that he drove the suspects in a Probox car for medical checks at Mulago or Nsambya hospitals or introduced himself as a lawyer at Old Kampala Police Station. Kinene also challenged the prosecution’s communication chart, presented by police officer Hiraru Musiime, which allegedly showed no evidence of his contact with the suspects.
He further denied Pastor Kayanja’s claim of seeing him at a press conference at Kolping Hotel, asserting he never attended such an event and accusing Kayanja of providing false information to the court.
Mwanda, a businessman from Kisenyi, stated he only encountered the other suspects on September 17, 2021, while in custody at Old Kampala Police Station for a separate case involving a missing car engine belonging to Adam Sankala.
He described meeting suspects, including Martin Kagolo, Reagan Ssentongo, Khalifah Labeeb, Peter Serugo, and Moses Semanobe (presumably Moses Tumwine), who were brought into the cells and teargased.
Mwanda claimed these suspects were bitter about unpaid money allegedly owed by Pastor Kayanja for sodomy-related activities. They reportedly demanded to see Kayanja, who called special forces to arrest them. As a community leader, Mwanda said he engaged the suspects to understand their grievances and promised to discuss their situation with the CID the following day, September 18, 2021.
He was released on a Shs 500,000 non-cash bail on September 21, 2021, after resolving the issue with Sankala. Mwanda denied prosecution claims that he followed suspects to Mulago for medical checks or was released on September 18, 2021, noting that courts do not operate on Saturdays.
He also refuted using a phone in the cells, as personal belongings are confiscated upon entry.
The prosecution alleges that on or around September 17, 2021, the nine accused—Peter Serugo, Reagan Ssentongo, Moses Tumwine, Khalifah Labeeb, Alex Wakamala, Martins Kagolo, Israel Wasswa, Jamil Mwanda, and Aggrey Kinene—conspired to falsely accuse Pastor Kayanja of sodomy, trespassed at Rubaga Miracle Cathedral, and provided false information to Detective Cotilda Nandutu at Kawempe Police Station.
Medical examinations at Mulago and Nsambya hospitals found no evidence of sexual assault, supporting the prosecution’s claim that the accusations were fabricated.
The court, presided over by Magistrate Adams Byarugaba, ruled in November 2024 that the accused had a case to answer, supported by evidence from 13 prosecution witnesses, including audio recordings, phone data, and medical reports. Moses Tumwine remains at large, with arrest warrants issued for him and his sureties.
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