THE six people including four pastors accused of conspiring to tarnish the reputation of Pastor Robert Kayanja have been ordered by court to defend themselves.
Grade One Magistrate Patrick Wekesa of Buganda Road Court in Kampala ordered them to do so after ruling that they had a case to answer. He scheduled their defence to start on December 19.
The accused allegedly conspired to claim that Kayanja sodomised boys at his church. They are pastors Solomon Male of Arising for Christ Ministries, Martin Sempa of Makerere Community Church, plus Michael Kyazze and Robert Kayiira of Omega Healing Centre.
Also accused are businesswoman Dorothy Kyomuhendo, and local musician David Mukalazi. Kayanja heads the Rubaga Miracle Centre, and runs the global Robert Kayanja Ministries.
Prosecution led by Stephen Asaba alleges that in 2008 and 2009 at various places within Kampala district, the accused “conspired to cause injury to Kayanja’s personality and reputation”.
During trial that started in January this year, prosecution produced 21 witnesses including, the purported sodomy victims. Kayanja who was the last prosecution witness, testified last month. An independent witness Brian Ntwatwa also testified, and claimed he was misled by the accused to accuse Kayanja.He said he later retracted his statement.
Delivering his ruling on Thursday, Wekesa said he had adequately analysed written submissions presented by both the prosecution and the defence, and found that there is a prima facie case. He informed the accused that they had options on how to proceed with their defence.
“The accused are hereby put on defence. You are free to make sworn statement. But you have to be warned that if you do so, you will be cross-examined. You are free to make an unsworn statement, and if you do so, you will not be crosss-examined,”Wekesa said.
Adding:”You are free to call defence witnesses, and you are free to keep quiet.”
The defence lawyers in court were Kato Sekabanja,Paul Rutisya,Isaac Walukagga, and David Ssemakula Mukiibi.They said their clients would give sworn statements but did not indicate the number of witbnesses that they would rely on.
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