SUSPECT IN KAYANJA CASE CONFIRMS PHONE CONTACT WITH PASTOR SSENYONGA
The courtroom at Mwanga II Court was thrown into moments of shock and laughter on Thursday as Alex Wakamala, one of the suspects in the ongoing Pastor Robert Kayanja case, contradicted himself repeatedly during re-cross-examination — inadvertently strengthening the defense’s argument.
Wakamala, who testified under oath, struggled to maintain consistency under intense questioning from the defense team. The session, which was meant to clarify his earlier contradictions, instead turned chaotic as his testimony shifted once again.
It should be recalled that the defense had requested permission to re-cross-examine him after inconsistencies emerged during his earlier cross-examination by the prosecution.
Despite efforts to salvage his testimony, Wakamala’s performance prompted his lawyers, Davis Wesley Tusingwire and Bernard Mugenyi, to cut short the session.
Confusing Testimony Over Phone Contacts
The drama escalated when Wakamala was asked to explain how he obtained and saved three specific phone numbers in his contact list:
- 0704424592 (saved as Wasswa)
- 0752949364 (saved as Pastor Ssenyonga)
- 0755962117 (saved as Chairman)
Initially, Wakamala had told the court that his wife obtained the numbers, following revelations from a phone matrix presented earlier showing communication between the accused and associates of Pastor Jackson Ssenyonga.
However, under re-cross-examination, Wakamala changed his story.
“I wrote down the numbers during the trials as they were being read out loud,” he told the court. “I had even forgotten that they were in my contacts. Actually, Your Honour, the question of Israel Wasswa instructing me to do any mischief is not true. I only met Wasswa in court, and that’s why I saved their numbers — to ask them why I was part of their case.”
His submission triggered murmurs across the courtroom, as the defense’s attempt to repair his earlier contradictions clearly backfired. The lawyers then requested an adjournment to prepare their next two witnesses — Reagan Ssentongo and Peter Serugo.
Phone Matrix Evidence
Earlier in the proceedings, D/ASP Bill Ndyamuhaki from the Cybercrime Department had testified that the phone matrix revealed frequent calls between Aggrey Kinene, a personal assistant to Pastor Jackson Ssenyonga, and the accused youths, particularly Reagan Ssentongo.
The matrix, which was submitted under oath, contrasted sharply with the behavior of the accused, who had refused to testify under oath, raising suspicions about their credibility.
Defense Seeks More Time
“Your Honour, accept our prayer to have more time and prepare our next two witnesses, Reagan Ssentongo and Peter Serugo, who were scheduled to be in the dock tomorrow morning,” lawyer Tusingwire requested.
His plea came shortly after co-accused Israel Wasswa — a former convict who previously served two and a half years in prison for aggravated assault and robbery — had defended himself not under oath.
The courtroom erupted in laughter when Grade One Magistrate Adams Byarugaba asked Wasswa whether he wanted to reconsider and testify under oath.
State Opposition
However, Chief State Attorney Jonathan Muwaganya accused the defense of stalling the case.
“My lord, they have had time since December last year. Their colleague Labib has already testified, yet they claim these two are not ready despite being on remand under the same circumstances,” Muwaganya argued.
After hearing both sides, Magistrate Byarugaba granted the defense’s request, ruling:
“I have heard concerns from both sides, and while I appreciate the need to conclude this matter quickly, the law entitles the accused to adequate preparation. We meet again on October 23, 2025, in the morning.”
Background of the Case
Wakamala and his co-accused — Regan Ssentongo, Peter Serugo, Israel Waiswa, Jamil Mwandha, Aggrey Kinene, Martins Kagolo, and Moses Tumwine (still at large) — are accused of orchestrating a plot to frame Pastor Robert Kayanja of Rubaga Miracle Centre Cathedral in a sodomy scandal.
In a separate testimony, Dr. Sam Kalungi, the doctor who examined the youths allegedly on Pastor Ssenyonga’s orders, told the court that no medical evidence supported claims that the youths had been sodomized — a revelation that sharply contradicted their earlier accusations.
As the case resumes next week, all eyes will be on how the defense manages to recover from Wakamala’s damaging testimony — and whether the remaining witnesses can help repair their crumbling narrative.