KAMPALA
It is very easy to tell lies, but very difficult to maintain them. When Pastor Ssenyonga plotted with a group of riff-raff youth to blackmail Pastor Robert Kayanja, little did he know that with each passing day, his lies would be exposed.
Armed with coached evidence, the youth including convicted individuals have testified in court, but the signs of coaching are clear. As the saying goes, even the best-laid plans fail.
Clashes and Objections at Mwanga II Court
Chief State Attorney Jonathan Muwaganya started his cross-examination session this morning with key suspect Reagan Ssentongo, in an ongoing case where nine youths face charges of criminal trespass and providing false information to the police.
Mwanga II Court briefly turned into a marketplace as frequent objections from the defense team repeatedly interrupted the flow of the cross-examination. After a series of objections, defense lawyer Humphrey Tumwesigye launched another in a clear attempt to protect his client, who was struggling to answer the tough questions put to him.
“Objection, Your Honor, before any question from those documents can be answered by my client. We cannot accept that. He should not be questioned using documents that have not been verified by an expert,” Tumwesigye argued.
Chief State Attorney Jonathan Muwaganya countered the objection, stating that the law does not limit the questions he can ask a witness during cross-examination unless they violate the Evidence Act.
“There is no law that prohibits a party from presenting a fact or a document. This is not examination-in-chief. I beg to submit,” Muwaganya argued.
The Magistrate ruled in favor of the State, clarifying that no law prevents the prosecution from putting questions to the witness, provided the delivery remains respectful.
“One can use a document to test the credibility of a witness, as long as it is not formally tendered in as evidence. The objection is overruled,” noted Senior Principal Grade One Magistrate Adams Byarugaba.
Ssentongo Pressed Against the Wall
Before that final objection led to the adjournment of the case hearing to July 16, 2026, Ssentongo had immense trouble answering the prosecution’s questions and had to be occasionally reminded by the Magistrate to remain disciplined.
The State opened its cross-examination by grilling Ssentongo on why his testimony perfectly mirrored Pastor Jackson Ssenyonga’s church sermons and media addresses, long before Ssentongo himself ever took the stand.
“I want you to tell the court: this entire story you have shared about Pastor Kayanja in your defense, had you availed this exact same story to your lawyers and Pastor Jackson Ssenyonga beforehand?” Muwaganya pressed.
Backed into a corner, Ssentongo hesitated, talked in circles, and eventually claimed he had no idea how the information had reached the mentioned parties. After being ordered by the Magistrate to answer the specific questions asked rather than the ones in his head Ssentongo painfully admitted that he had shared the information with his lawyers long before taking the stand.
In another bizarre twist, Ssentongo was asked to provide the specific date he was allegedly sodomized. When he replied that he could not remember, the entire courtroom erupted into laughter.
Ssentongo Denies Relationship with Pastor Ssenyonga
When asked about his relationship with Pastor Ssenyonga and other pastors allegedly involved in the plot to tarnish Pastor Kayanja’s reputation, Ssentongo denied any connection. However, the prosecution immediately countered this by displaying a phone matrix showing direct call logs between his number and theirs.
As if on cue, a technician clicked a button on behalf of the defense team, and the digital photo dissolved into a video clip. On screen, Pastor Ssenyonga appeared, fiercely denying any behind-the-scenes involvement in the unfolding scandal.
The State Attorney held up his hand. “Let us pause there. I want to know if you are among the boys he is referring to in that video.”
“I am not the one,” Ssentongo replied flatly.
Continuing his blanket denials, Ssentongo went on to deny ever meeting Pastor Kiganda, his assistant, co-accused Jamilu Mwanda, or any of the other implicated figures, including Pastors Male, Ssempa, and Bugingo.
However, though Reagan Ssentongo a convict claimed he had never met Pastor Ssenyonga, during a press conference earlier this year Pastor Ssenyonga revealed that he met the youth as he sought to get justice for them. So who is fooling who.
In other videos and photos, the suspects led by Reagan Ssentongo are clearly seen at Christian life church prior to the time they stormed Rubaga Miracle centre. Ssentongo also forgets that there is a phone matrix that shows that the suspects were in constant communication with Pastor Ssenyonga, his body guard Israel Waiswa and Assistant Aggrey Kanene.
State demands Luzira Records to Disprove Inmate’s Claims of Behind-Bars Visit
A dramatic exchange unfolded in court on Thursday as State Prosecutor Jonathan demanded an official investigation into prison visitor logs to disprove allegations made by an inmate, Reagan, who claimed the prosecutor visited him while in custody.
During a tense cross-examination, the State confronted Reagan over his previous assertions that the prosecutor had met with him at Murchison Bay Prison in Luzira at the beginning of his case.
“Are you aware that lying on oath affects the credibility of your defense?” the prosecutor asked. “Yes,” Reagan replied, maintaining that the visit did take place.
When pressed on whether he knew that all visitors to the maximum-security facility are strictly documented, Reagan affirmed that he was aware.
The prosecutor then turned to the presiding Magistrate, fiercely denying the allegations and requesting court intervention to clear his professional standing. He argued that the claims not only targeted his character as an officer of the court but falsely implicated him in unauthorized contact with an inmate.
“I beg this court issues an order to the Officer in Charge (OC) of Murchison Bay and also Kampala Remand to search their records of that facility—right from the main gate up to the visitor’s book,” the prosecutor requested.
“Avail this court with information of whether or not the person of myself, Jonathan, has ever stepped at that facility of Luzira from the year 2023 as he has alleged, and whether I have ever visited the inmate in the names of Reagan.”
In response to the submission, the presiding Magistrate granted the request, ordering the Uganda Prisons Service to produce and share the official visitation records during the next court session.
It should be remembered that the ongoing trial has nine youths accused namely; Peter Serugo, Moses Tumwine, Khalifa Labeeb, Alex Wakamala, Martins Kagolo, Israel Wasswa, Jamil Mwanda, Aggrey Kinene.
The charges stem from a September 17, 2021 incident where the youths forcibly entered the church and harassed Pastor Kayanja, subsequently claiming he sodomised them.
