There was drama at Mwanga II Magistrate’s Court after a forensic expert admitted he had been in contact with one of the accused persons in the ongoing Pastor Robert Kayanja case.
Court heard that Enock Kanene, a forensic expert, communicated with Israel Wasswa, a bodyguard to Pastor Jackson Ssenyonga, who is among eight suspects accused of conspiring to tarnish the image of Kayanja.
Wasswa, who previously served a two-year sentence for aggravated robbery and assault, is alleged to have approached the expert while posing as a legal representative from Ojambo and Ojambo Advocates.
The revelations emerged during a tense cross-examination by State Attorney Jonathan Muwangya.
Under questioning, Kanene admitted he did not verify Wasswa’s identity when they first interacted, despite working with him during the forensic process.
Court proceedings intensified when the prosecution presented evidence suggesting there were more than 40 phone calls exchanged between the two.
Kanene, however, disputed the figure and said he could not recall how many times they communicated.
“I don’t remember. I don’t know,” he told the court.
Earlier, Kanene had identified Wasswa in the dock as the person he had been communicating with.
The court heard that their contact began after Kanene called the law firm to clarify a discrepancy regarding a phone model referenced in a request letter.
According to testimony, Wasswa later appeared in court after being contacted by someone who identified himself as part of the Ojambo legal team.
The defence objected to the production of call data, arguing that it was private and could only be obtained through a court order.
In response, the prosecution presented court documents to justify how the evidence had been obtained.
“I have proof that the witness and the accused were in regular contact. I obtained this data lawfully,” Muwangya told the court.
The defence further argued that the data involved a third party, Robert Ojambo, whose privacy needed to be protected.
Presiding magistrate Adams Byarugaba ruled that although the State had valid court orders, the specific call data matrix involving third parties would not be displayed in open court. He, however, allowed the prosecution to continue with its line of questioning.
Tensions rose further when Kanene claimed he was being intimidated.
He told the court that someone had passed him a note warning him that he would face a gruelling three-day cross-examination unless he remained compliant.
The state attorney dismissed the claims as unfounded, particularly allegations that there was a recording of him instructing the witness to respond only with “yes” or “no”.
The defence later applied to have the State Attorney removed from the case, escalating the standoff.
This prompted Magistrate Byarugaba to summon the prosecution, defence team, and the witness to his chambers for a closed-door meeting.
After about an hour, the magistrate adjourned the case to April 7, 2026.
The case involves Reagan Ssentongo and several co-accused, including Sserugo, Labib Khalifa, Alex Wakamala, and Martin Kagolo, who are accused of conspiring to damage the reputation of Pastor Kayanja.
