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  Drama As Kayanja Accusers Withdraw

By Andrew Bagala & Anthony Wesaka
Daily Monitor
May 23, 2009

http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/news/Drama_as_Kayanja_accusers_withdraw_85188.shtml

U-TURN? Mr Mukisa (L) is led away by detectives at Kibuli yesterday. Mukisa retracted a statement earlier made claiming he was sodomised by Pastor Kayanja.
Photo by Yusuf Muziransa

The sodomy allegations against Pastor Kayanja took a new twist on Wednesday after some of the alleged victims retracted their statements.

Drama ensued at the Criminal Investigations Directorate headquarters in Kibuli at about 4.30pm yesterday after the detectives drove away Mr Samson Mukisa, one of the seven alleged victims, to Buganda Road Court where he allegedly retracted his statements in a closed session before magistrate Dorothy Lwanga.

Mr Mukisa, who is said to have made an “extra-judicial statement”, was whisked away in a saloon car late last evening to an unknown destination. He was by last night said to still be in police custody.

The dramatic turn of events, with Mr Mukisa’s dramatic withdrawal of a statement in which he claims Pastor Kayanja sodomised him, was preceded by another dramatic withdrawal of an earlier statement by another alleged victim Robinson Matovu.

The five pastors, who have been interrogated by the CID following allegations against Pastor Kayanja, could be left holding the can after some of the alleged victims retracted their statements yesterday.

Pastors Solomon Male, Martin Ssempa, Micheal Kyazze, Bob Kayiira and Annet Kyomuhendo are accused by the CID of setting up Pastor Kayanja of Rubaga Miracle Centre in the sodomy allegations – a fall -out that threatens to tear apart the born again churches.

Pastors Male, Ssempa and Kayiira have since Monday been regular visitors to the CID main interrogation centre.

Mr Matovu at a press conference at CID attended by both Pastors Male and Ssempa stunned the two by saying Pastor Kayanja has never sodomised him.

“In fact, it is you people who promised me Shs50 million if I pinned Pastor Kayanja that he sodomised me,” said Mr Matovu, stunning Pastors Male and Ssempa.

He was later whisked away by detectives to formally retract earlier statements made against Kayanja.

Yesterday’s turn of events place a major dent in the five pastors defence after the Police claimed the other five victims James Ntwatwa, Ronny Mutebi, David Mukalazi and Akansiime had also withdrawn their statements against Pastor Kayanja.

But Mr Mukalazi said on Wednesday he had not withdrawn his statements.

CID director Edward Ochom on Sunday summoned the five pastors for interrogation.

The pastors have been critical of the police conduct in the investigation – pointing out possibilities of compromise considering that Pastor Kayanja recently renovated Old Kampala Police Station.

The same complaint was echoed by the pastors’ lawyer, Mr Andrew Kasirye, who held a press conference yesterday morning and threatened to petition Parliament and Human Rights Commission over the conduct of police.

Mr Kasirye had earlier written to Internal Affairs Minister Kirunda Kivejinja accusing the Police of taking sides and according “Pastor Robert Kayanja the benefit of doubt, without an exhaustive inquiry into the matter”.

The lawyer said the victims had earlier complained of harassment by police.

“The allegations made by Mukisa of police brutality and compulsion to sign a retraction under gun point are serious and require your attention,” he wrote.

“We respectfully implore you to look into the matter and accord it urgency.”

 
 

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