A digital forensic expert has told court that pornographic and homosexual videos found on the phone of one of the accused in an alleged plot to defame Robert Kayanja were not sent by the pastor, but were instead sourced from social media and third parties.
Appearing before the Mwanga II Grade One Magistrate’s Court presided over by Adams Byarugaba, forensic analyst Enock Kanene testified that an examination of a handset belonging to accused number eight, Reagan Ssentongo, revealed no direct link between the controversial content and Pastor Kayanja.
“I did not find any pornographic messages or videos sent from Pastor Kayanja’s number to the accused’s phone,” Kanene told court under cross-examination.
The matter, prosecuted by Chief State Attorney Jonathan Muwaganya, came up for further defence hearing, with Kanene appearing as an expert defence witness.
During the session, the prosecution subjected Kanene to intense questioning, particularly regarding the source of the explicit material retrieved from Ssentongo’s phone.
Kanene confirmed that while pornographic videos were found on the device, their origin was not linked to Pastor Kayanja.
“Some of the videos were taken using the phone’s camera, while others were downloaded from social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram,” Kanene testified.
Pressed further, the forensic expert clarified that additional content had been shared through third-party contacts.
“One of the videos was received via WhatsApp from a number saved as ‘Adrian’ on August 10, 2021,” he said, adding that other files were shared from different numbers, including one saved as “Small Pin.”
The prosecution also highlighted that some images found in the gallery had no identifiable source, raising questions about the completeness of the digital trail.
In a key moment, Kanene reiterated his earlier findings that no incriminating communication had been traced back to Pastor Kayanja.
“That number which I identified as belonging to Pastor Kayanja did not send any pornographic material to the accused,” he confirmed.
Kanene further testified about a video found on Ssentongo’s phone showing an unidentified individual, with their face concealed, in a toilet wiping blood from the anus. He said the video had been sent from a number saved as Adrian Ssebbale.
This testimony appeared to support the prosecution’s case, in which Ssebbale earlier testified that he and other youths allegedly hatched a plot to slaughter a chicken and smear blood in the anus in an attempt to frame Pastor Kayanja.
The case involves nine youths accused of fabricating evidence to falsely implicate the Lubaga Miracle Centre Cathedral pastor in sexual misconduct, as well as trespassing and providing false information to police.
Kanene’s cross-examination also addressed procedural issues surrounding his forensic analysis, including his communication with one of the accused, Isreal Wasswa.
He admitted initiating contact with Wasswa to seek clarification about an exhibit, instead of going through the magistrate who was in custody of it, contrary to laboratory protocols.
“I called Wasswa to get clarity on the specific exhibit and inform him on the progress of the report,” Kanene said, while acknowledging that such engagement could be considered unethical.
“If an analyst speaks to a third party regarding laboratory work, that would be unethical conduct,” Kanene conceded.
Muwaganya questioned whether such interactions compromised the integrity of the forensic process, noting that procedures require all engagements to be conducted in controlled environments under supervision.
Further scrutiny revealed limitations in forensic interpretation, with the expert acknowledging reliance on system-generated data rather than actual user actions.
“I can only confirm what the system portrays, but I cannot speak to whether a message was actually read,” he told court.
He also conceded that human error, bias, personal beliefs, and lack of training could affect forensic outcomes.
Additionally, Kanene acknowledged using open-source methods to identify some phone numbers linked to the case, a practice the prosecution argued lacks legal backing, as such information should be obtained through Know Your Customer (KYC) procedures.
Despite the challenges to his credibility, the expert stood by his central finding — that the alleged pornographic material at the heart of the case did not originate from Pastor Kayanja.
The case stems from allegations that the accused persons fabricated digital evidence intended to damage the reputation of the prominent preacher.
The hearing was adjourned to May 14, when Kanene is expected to be re-examined by the defence.