Pastor Yiga denied bail

Pastor Augustine Yiga of Revival Church Kawaala has been denied bail by the magistrate court in Mengo.

The controversial pastor was arrested for using  his television station to tell the public that coronavirus was non-existent in Africa basing on the fact that there are no deaths in many African countries.

He had presented employees and junior pastors as his sureties in his quest for temporary freedom through bail.

On Thursday, Lubaga Grade One Magistrate Timothy Lumunye denied the controversial pastor bail saying that the sureties presented were not substantial and cannot force him to return to court as per conditions of the bail.

The magistrate also said that Yiga had not provided evidence to prove he is diabetic as he claimed in his bail application.

He explained that since the news about the coronavirus has created anxiety, stress, financial difficulty after the presidential directive on lockdown yet government is trying to keep members of the public safe, it is only prudent that Yiga is kept in prison.

The magistrate remanded Yiga up to May, 5, 2020 when his application will be considered.

Yiga is accused of acting negligently which is likely to cause the spread of virus over comments he made in the media in regards the deadly coronavirus.

Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, Patrick Onyango said Yiga’s statements were reckless and asked members of the public to disregard them.

“The actions of Pastor Yiga promote the spread of the COVID-19 and can therefore be considered as a direct attack on the people of the Republic of Uganda. We appeal to the public to desist from making false or alarming utterances concerning over COVID-19 and disregard information not from authorised government structures,”Onyango said.

Section 171 of the Penal Code Act talks about a person who involves themselves in a negligent act likely to spread an infectious disease commits a crime.

“Any person who unlawfully or negligently does any act which is and which he or she knows or has reason to believe to be likely to spread the infection of any disease dangerous to life commits and offence and is liable to imprisonment for seven years,” the Penal Code Act says.