Peter Sserugo, one of the suspects in the high-profile case involving Pastor Robert Kayanja of Rubaga Miracle Centre, faltered during his testimony at Mwanga II court yesterday, raising suspicions that he was following a written script.
Sserugo, like his co-accused, who previously testified without taking an oath, appeared to deliver a rehearsed script.
However, as his testimony progressed, he began sweating profusely and consumed several 1.5-litre bottles of mineral water, betraying signs of nervousness. Initially, his low-pitched voice prompted Chief Magistrate Adams Byarugaba to repeatedly urge him to speak louder.
During the session, Sserugo twice requested a “short call,” seemingly struggling to recall his testimony. He was accompanied to the court toilets by his co-accused, Labib Khalifa, who had made a similar request earlier when the testimony began to falter.
Upon returning, Sserugo appeared more confident, delivering a more coherent narrative, although doubts about its authenticity persisted.
Midway through his submission, State Attorney Jonathan Muwaganya sought clarification on new evidence introduced by Sserugo. The ensuing exchange between the prosecution and defence lawyers disrupted Sserugo’s flow, causing him to lose track of his testimony.
The courtroom erupted in laughter when Magistrate Byarugaba asked Sserugo if he was reading from a script after he fell silent for over a minute despite being prompted to continue. In a moment of improvisation, Sserugo requested another “short call,” triggering further amusement in the court.
Accompanied again by Khalifa, he returned and, in a surprising shift, delivered part of his testimony in English.
“The report was doctored. It has no stamp and is not signed by the police doctor,” he said.
However, his newfound confidence soon waned, and he reverted to Luganda, stammering through the remainder of his testimony.
The case revolves around allegations that Sserugo and his co-accused, Reagan Ssentongo, Israel Waiswa, Jamil Mwandha, Aggrey Kinene, Martin Kagolo, and Moses Tumwine, conspired to tarnish Pastor Kayanja’s reputation by fabricating a sodomy scandal.
Evidence presented by Detective Assistant Superintendent of Police Bill Ndyamuhaki from the Police Cybercrime Department revealed a phone matrix indicating frequent communication between Aggrey Kinene, a personal assistant to Pastor Jackson Ssenyonga, and the accused, particularly Reagan Ssentongo. This has fuelled speculation of a coordinated effort to undermine Kayanja, possibly linked to rivalries within the Born-Again community.
Sserugo, currently serving a sentence for aggravated robbery involving a firearm and injury to a resident in Kiryandongo, where he worked as a worker on Pastor Kayanja’s farm, initially agreed to testify under oath earlier this year.
However, he later opted against it, avoiding cross-examination by the prosecution, which some say could have exposed inconsistencies in his testimony.
The case resumes on November 6, 2025.
