A youth accused of making false sodomy allegations against Lubaga Miracle Centre Cathedral lead pastor Robert Kayanja has told court that he made the accusations after being advised by his colleagues, but maintained that his primary objective was to recover salary arrears allegedly owed to him for his work as a security manager at the pastor's Kiryandongo farm.
Reagan Ssentongo made the admission while under cross-examination by Chief State Attorney Jonathan Muwaganya.
Ssentongo told the court that he had never intended to fabricate allegations against Pastor Kayanja but was seeking payment for work he claimed to have done without receiving his full wages.
The prosecution referred to several messages Ssentongo allegedly sent to Pastor Kayanja between May and July 2021, in which he repeatedly requested payment of his salary arrears.
In one message dated May 5, 2021, Ssentongo appealed to Kayanja to pay him part of his salary so he could start a small business in his village, saying life had become difficult.
However, when Muwaganya asked whether he was demanding salary arrears or money related to the sodomy allegations, Ssentongo insisted that he was only seeking payment for the work he had done and would continue pursuing the money until he was paid.
The prosecution also produced another message in which Ssentongo reminded Pastor Kayanja of an earlier promise to settle the outstanding payment.
Asked to read the pastor's response, Ssentongo said Kayanja replied that he had already left the farm and was also looking for his own money, which he did not have at the time.
Ssentongo confirmed that by May 2021, he had ceased working as the security manager at Pastor Kayanja's farm.
The court further heard that Ssentongo sent additional messages describing the hardships he was facing in the village and asking Pastor Kayanja to pay his salary, saying he had no money and could not even afford breakfast.
The prosecution also presented a message in which Ssentongo apologised to Pastor Kayanja, stating that he had not intended to hurt him and had acted on the advice of other people.
Muwaganya argued that after failing to obtain the money through repeated requests, Ssentongo resorted to other means, including engaging bloggers, to pressure the pastor.
"When your efforts to get the money from Pastor Kayanja failed, you resorted to other means, including involving bloggers, to put pressure on him," Muwaganya told the court.
According to the prosecution, Ssentongo engaged bloggers, including Lumbuye and SB4, as part of what it described as a smear campaign against Pastor Kayanja.
The prosecution also presented evidence alleging that Ssentongo and his colleagues communicated with individuals described as long-time critics of Pastor Kayanja.
One message presented in court allegedly stated that the "next stopover is Makerere Kavule," which Muwaganya interpreted as a reference to the church of Pastor Jackson Ssenyonga.
The court was further shown screenshots of alleged communication between Collins Kisakye, a former colleague of Ssentongo, and Pastors Solomon Male and David Kiganda, whom the prosecution alleges were involved in a plot to tarnish Pastor Kayanja's reputation.
In addition, prosecutors played voice recordings in which Ssentongo was allegedly heard discussing plans to approach Salt FM, a radio station associated with Pastor Aloysius Bugingo, to publicise the allegations.
When asked about the recordings, Ssentongo acknowledged that the voice was his.
Muwaganya put it to Ssentongo that his objective was to pressure Pastor Kayanja into paying him.
"Your objective was to force Pastor Kayanja to pay you," Muwaganya said.
The prosecutor further asked whether Ssentongo's position was that if the money was not paid, he would cause more chaos.
Ssentongo answered in the affirmative.
"Isn't it your position that if the money was not paid, you would cause chaos?" Muwaganya asked.
The court heard that Ssentongo's outstanding salary balance as of May 2021 was Shs4 million, which he confirmed.
The hearing was adjourned to August 6, 2026, after the defence requested more time to re-examine Ssentongo and call another witness.
Nine youths are on trial before the Grade One Magistrate's Court after being charged with criminal trespass at Lubaga Miracle Centre Cathedral with the alleged intent to annoy its lead pastor, Robert Kayanja.
The accused also face a charge of giving false information to a police officer. The prosecution alleges that they fabricated evidence accusing Pastor Kayanja of committing unnatural offences.
The case is being heard by Grade One Magistrate Adams Byarugaba.