THE POLICE yesterday described allegations of sodomy against Pastor Robert Kayanja of Rubaga Miracle Centre as “baseless”, “fabricated” and “full of lies”.
“We have been carrying out investigations following allegations of sodomy by Pastor Robert Kayanja. The allegations were grave because they involved the church, but the revelations were unbelievable,” said Edward Ochom, the Director of Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID), at a press conference at his headquarters in Kibuli.
“Pastor Kayanja has no case because all six complainants who reported to the Police have retracted their complaints, saying they were set up by some pastors. We shall proceed with the case when any other person comes up with a complaint.”
The Police listed Samson Mukisa, David Mukalazi, Brian Ntwata, Robson Matovu, Ronnie Mutebi and Brian Ankansima as people who have since retracted their statements.
Ochom warned of stern measures against people who tell lies to the Police.
“These people have been summoned to explain.”
He listed those summoned as pastors Martin Ssempa of Makerere University Community Church; Michael Kyazze, Robert Kayiira and Lendo Anita Kyomuhendo of Omega Healing Centre; and Solomon Male.
“We want them at the CID headquarters today. If they don’t respond, we shall arrest them,” Ochom warned.
According to Ochom, Mukisa, the 19-year-old boy who alleged he was sodomised by Kayanja in a hotel, confessed that he had been used.
“When our senior detectives called Mukisa for interrogation, he confessed that what he swore in the affidavit were lies. Mukisa said that he was paid sh50,000 per month to damage Pastor Kayanja,” said Ochom.
However, Mukisa at a press conference convened by Male on Saturday said he had been forced by CID officers to retract his earlier statements at gun point.
“I was put at gunpoint and forced to retract and sign a new statement. I feared for my life,” he told journalists. Mukisa is being accommodated by Omega Healing Centre in Namasuba.
In his affidavit, presented by Kaggwa and Company Advocates, Mukisa alleged that he was heading a music group at Kayanja’s ministry for street children which won a music competition and that after the party, Kayanja drove him to an unknown hotel and sodomised him.
“Mukisa alleged that his anus was shattered and that Kayanja brought a female doctor who stitched it. When we took him for medical examination, the Police surgeon found that his anus was intact and had never been stitched,” said Ochom.
He said investigations found out that Mukisa had never been taken to the children’s home.
“In his affidavit he said that his father was the late Richard Bulega of Kitende in Kajjansi and that his mother, Oliver Nansubuga, died in 2008. But when we interrogated him, he said his father was Richard Muyingo and his mother is still alive.”
“Mukisa later told us that he was being used by some pastors.”
Ochom vowed that the Police would not tolerate lies by church leaders.
“We are not going to allow people who are not credible to lead institutions like the church. The church is an institution of high morals.”
The conflict between rival Pentecostal churches, which compete for members, ‘sowing’ money and funds from US churches, has deepened in recent weeks, with pastors accusing each other of homosexuality, kidnap and bribing people to frame them.
