“Pastor Kayanja Used To Give Me 5M After Watching Adult Content With Him And Using Me” Witness Tells Court

The defence hearing in the case involving nine youths accused of defaming city pastor Robert Kayanja resumed Friday at Mwanga II Magistrates Court, with the fourth witness, Labib Khalifa, delivering an unsworn testimony that left the courtroom tense.

Khalifa, 24, had initially committed to testifying under oath but changed his mind moments before taking the stand, opting instead for an unsworn statement.

This decision rendered his account immune from cross-examination and diminished its evidentiary weight.

Addressing Grade One Magistrate Adams Byarugaba, Khalifa claimed he has spent four years on remand over charges including conspiracy to defeat justice, criminal trespass at Rubaga Miracle Cathedral, and giving false information to police.

Recounting events from 2017, Khalifa said he met a man named Joshua during school holidays at Capital Shoppers, Bugolobi, who introduced him to youth programs at Rubaga Miracle Centre.

He alleged that after several visits, he was introduced to Pastor Kayanja, who started giving him gifts in both Ugandan shillings and U.S. dollars.

In his testimony, Khalifa claimed that on one occasion, Pastor Kayanja invited him to his office after a night service, instructed him to switch off his phone, remove his shirt, and then allegedly showed him adult content while caressing him.

These claims remain unverified due to the lack of cross-examination. Khalifa further alleged that Pastor Kayanja paid him Shs5 million regularly but eventually refused to continue the payments.

By 2019, Khalifa claimed he demanded over Shs340 million in unpaid dues for what he described as work in security and at the pastor’s farm in Kiryandongo.

He later admitted the demand was reduced to Shs162 million after accounting for expenses such as rent and food over 40 months.

Before the hearing commenced, Chief State Attorney Jonathan Muwaganya informed the court that the High Court had upheld an earlier ban on live media coverage of the trial, citing concerns over sensationalist reporting by bloggers.

Magistrate Byarugaba adjourned the case to August 28, with further defence hearings scheduled in September. He emphasized the gravity of the charges and the need for proceedings to respect due process.