KAMPALA, Uganda — The hearing of the case involving Pastor Robert Kayanja took a surprising turn on Monday, March 23, 2026, after police forensic expert Enock Kanene told court he is living in fear following threats linked to his report.
Kanene, who appeared before the Mwanga II Magistrate’s Court in Mengo, presided over by Adams Byarugaba, said his life and job are now uncertain after receiving multiple warnings over the forensic report he presented in the case, which stems from accusations by Kayanja, the lead pastor of Rubaga Miracle Centre, against nine (9) young men whom he accuses of defamation, criminal trespass, and giving false information to authorities.
The young men claim the man of God shafted their bums, allegations he (Kayanja) strongly denies.
Kanene, during his testimony, revealed that he has received several threatening messages and written notes cautioning him on how to respond to court questions. He appeared visibly shaken as he informed the court that the pressure surrounding the case has left him in fear.
“I am under pressure. I am scared because I have received threats warning me about this case and the report I made,” Kanene, visibly shaken, told the court.
The forensic expert was subjected to intense cross-examination by state prosecutor Jonathan Muwaganya, who sought to challenge the credibility of his findings, presenting alleged material suggesting that Kanene had been in prior communication with one of the accused persons before compiling his report.
In response, Kanene pushed back, accusing the prosecutor himself of contacting him multiple times regarding the same report, raising further tension in the courtroom.
“I have evidence that even the prosecutor has been contacting me about this report,” Kanene said.
His forensic report had earlier told the court that phone records showed communication between Kayanja and one of the accused, Regan Ssentongo, over a period spanning several months between 2020 and 2021.
According to his findings, the exchanges (conducted via WhatsApp and SMS) allegedly included demands for money and threats by Ssentongo to release videos and audios if his demands were not met. The report further indicated that pornographic images and videos were sent to Kayanja’s phone from Ssentongo’s cellular device.
Kanene also told the court that a contact saved as “Mzee” in Ssentongo’s phone was verified and registered in Kayanja’s name. In one of the messages presented, the sender (attributed to Kayanja) allegedly advised the youths not to come to church during the COVID-19 lockdown, promising to send them UGX 300,000 instead.
The forensic expert maintained that his analysis was conducted following a formal request by the defence team from Ojambo & Ojambo Advocates, tasked with extracting and examining digital evidence linked to the case.
As tensions rose in court over the conflicting claims and the safety concerns raised by the witness, Magistrate Byarugaba briefly adjourned proceedings and held a closed-door discussion with all parties involved, later adjourning the case to April 7, 2026.
