The defence hearing in a case involving nine people accused of conspiring to defame Pastor Robert Kayanja and trespassing at Rubaga Miracle Centre Cathedral Friday continued before the Mwanga II Magistrates Court with the seventh accused dramatically changing his oath.
The 23-year-old Peter Serugo, who is currently serving a sentence for aggravated robbery at Luzira Prison, informed the court that he would not testify under oath despite having indicated in February that he would give sworn evidence.
Chief State Attorney Jonathan Muwaganya noted the change, saying: ‘He had previously recorded his intention to testify under oath on February 25, 2025. The record should reflect that he has willingly changed his mind.’
Serugo became the fifth accused person to switch from sworn to unsworn testimony, a move attributed to the fear of cross-examination, which tests the credibility of witnesses.
He faces multiple charges, including conspiracy to defeat justice, conspiracy to commit a felony, criminal trespass, and giving false information to police.
While narrating his account, Serugo told court that in 2017, he was living with his mother in Lungujja when he saw Pastor Kayanja on Channel 44 Television distributing school bursaries and inviting youths who had dropped out of school to join church programs.
‘I went there with my cousin after my friend, Joel Karungi, told me that his mother worked at Rubaga Miracle Centre and that the pastor had helped many children return to school,’ Serugo said.
He stated that they attended a night fellowship and were later called among those who wanted to get saved.
‘One time as I was slashing at the church, Pastor Kayanja summoned me to his office. My friend Joel led me there since I did not know where it was,’ he said.
Serugo claimed that during the encounter, the pastor closed the office door, hugged him for six minutes, caressed him, and said he was handsome.
‘He promised me money and foreign travel.’ Serugo told court. He alleged that the pastor later gave him Shs500,000 and told him not to tell anyone.
He further claimed that one night, after a church service, Pastor Kayanja approached him in his office, turned off the lights and made sexual advances towards him.
However, during earlier proceedings, the prosecution presented video evidence showing Serugo and his co-accused confessing to being members of a street gang called Kiffesi who had hoped to reform.
The state contends that during the Covid-19 lockdown, the accused, motivated by money, conspired with another pastor to fabricate allegations of sodomy to tarnish Pastor Kayanja’s image.
Prosecution also cited medical reports from Mulago and Nsambya police doctors, which indicated that the complainants’ anal muscles were intact, contradicting their claims of sexual assault.
Chief State Attorney Muwaganya urged the court to compel the defence to specify how many more witnesses they intended to present.
‘It has been ten months since the defence commenced. We need to know how many witnesses are remaining to ensure judicial efficiency,’ he said.
Trial Grade One Magistrate Adams Byarugaba adjourned the matter to November 6, 2025, when the last defence witness, Reagan Ssentongo, is expected to testify.