Mengo, Uganda: State prosecution on Thursday intensified its cross-examination of Reagan Ssentongo, a key defence witness in the criminal trespass case involving Pastor Robert Kayanja, highlighting what it described as major contradictions in his testimony regarding his age, alleged telephone communication with several city pastors and purported links to individuals considered longtime critics of the senior pastor.
Chief State Attorney Jonathan Muwaganya confronted Ssentongo before the Mwanga II Court with documentary evidence, including police statements, admission records from Lubaga Miracle Centre Cathedral’s security department, and Mulago Hospital medical reports, all indicating that Ssentongo was 21 years old in 2021.
However, while testifying before court in July 2026, Ssentongo stated that he is currently 21 years old, creating what the prosecution described as a significant inconsistency since his age appeared unchanged over a five-year period.
Muwaganya also questioned Ssentongo about allegations that he had been sodomised and instructed by Pastor Kayanja to kill people on his behalf, asking why those claims had not been disclosed fully to his lawyers before Pastor Kayanja was cross-examined.
Ssentongo told the court that he revealed the information “in stages,” explaining that he continued remembering details over time rather than recounting everything at once.
The prosecutor questioned why the defence had failed to put those allegations to Pastor Kayanja during cross-examination if they formed part of Ssentongo’s account.
When asked to specify when the alleged sodomy occurred, Ssentongo said he could not remember the exact date, month or year.
“You don’t remember the date, month or even the year in which you were allegedly sodomised?” Muwaganya asked.
The cross-examination later shifted to Ssentongo’s alleged links with several city pastors, including Jackson Ssenyonga, David Kiganda, Solomon Male, Martin Ssempa and Aloysius Bugingo.
According to the prosecution, findings by Ssentongo’s own digital forensic expert suggested that his phone had been in communication with some of the pastors, whom the prosecution described as historical critics of Pastor Kayanja.
Ssentongo denied ever meeting or communicating with Pastor Jackson Ssenyonga of Christian Life Church, Kavule.
To challenge that assertion, the prosecution played a video in court in which Pastor Ssenyonga reportedly stated that several young men had approached him alleging abuse by Pastor Kayanja and had shared WhatsApp communications describing their experiences.
Ssentongo denied being among the individuals referred to in the video and maintained that he had never met Pastor Ssenyonga.
The prosecution further referred to findings by defence digital forensic expert Enock Kanene, which allegedly indicated telephone communication between Ssentongo and Pastors David Kiganda, Aloysius Bugingo and Solomon Male.
Ssentongo rejected those findings. “It’s not true. I have never met him,” he told court. When asked whether that meant his own expert witness had presented false findings, Ssentongo replied: “That is a lie.”
The prosecutor reminded the witness that giving false evidence under oath constitutes a criminal offence and could affect the credibility of his entire testimony.
Meanwhile, Chief State Attorney Muwaganya applied to have the Head of the Government Analytical Laboratory summoned to testify regarding the laboratory’s communication protocols.
However, presiding magistrate Adams Byarugaba dismissed the application, saying the court would instead evaluate and compare the two expert reports already on record before reaching its decision.
The matter was adjourned to July 16, 2026, for continuation of Ssentongo’s cross-examination.
Background
Ssentongo Reagan and eight co-accused are facing charges of criminal trespass after allegedly entering Lubaga Miracle Centre Cathedral with the intention of annoying Pastor Robert Kayanja.
The group is also charged with giving false information to a police officer after allegedly fabricating claims accusing Pastor Kayanja of committing unnatural offences.
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