KAYANJA SODOMY FRAME-UP CASE COLLAPSES? Police Doctor Says: "No Evidence Of Sodomy On Accusers"

By Peter Ssuuna MENGO, KAMPALA 

The State's case against Pastor Robert Kayanja suffered a major blow yesterday when the government's own medical expert told court he found absolutely no medical evidence to prove the nine youths who accused the pastor of sodomy were ever sodomized.

Dr. Phenehance Bwambale, a senior police surgeon attached to the Uganda Police Force, and the man who personally examined all nine suspects and filled their Police Form 3s, told Mwanga II Grade One Magistrate's Court that his examination was negative.

He was testifying as the 10th defence witness before the Principal Grade One Magistrate Adams Byarugaba.

 "I did not find evidence of sodomy on any of them," Dr. Bwambale clarified in open court. The revelation came after a moment of confusion.

While being led by defence counsel Bernard Mugenyi, the doctor had mentioned "positive results" in relation to two of the accused. This immediately triggered an objection from Chief State Attorney Jonathan Muwaganya, who demanded to know what "positive" meant and whether it pointed to sodomy.

A tense exchange followed between the prosecutor and the witness, with the prosecution trying to pin the doctor on his own forms.

The defence, however, stood its ground, insisting the doctor never at any point wrote or stated that sodomy had occurred. On re-examination, Dr. Bwambale put the matter to rest the forms do not prove sodomy.

WHAT THE YOUTHS ARE FACING

The nine youths are on trial for allegedly conspiring to fabricate evidence to frame Pastor Kayanja of Miracle Center Cathedral, Rubaga, with claims of sodomy. They are charged with criminal trespass, conspiracy to commit a felony, and giving false information to police.

The prosecution's theory is that the group connived to lie against the pastor to extort and damage his reputation. The defence's argument, now boosted by the police surgeon's testimony, is that the entire story was invented and the medical evidence proves it.

BATTLE OVER VIDEO TRANSLATIONS

In another twist, court turned into a battlefield of procedure.

Lawyer Mugenyi informed court that the defence wants to introduce fresh, clearer translations and transcriptions of key audio and video recordings in the case, done by Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC), and call the officer who did them as a witness.

He explained that the defence had first engaged Makerere University School of Languages for the job, but ran into chain-of-custody issues because the original recordings were first handled by police before being disclosed to the defence by the State.

Chief State Attorney Muwaganya fiercely objected, accusing the defence of ambushing the State with new evidence at the tail-end of the trial.

 "This is a late attempt to introduce a new witness and new documents. They already served us Makerere translations. Let them call that witness or close their case. Counsel is now testifying from the bar," Muwaganya argued.

Magistrate Byarugaba did not make an immediate ruling. He adjourned the matter to October 7, 2026, when he will decide whether the new UBC witness and the new translations will be admitted.

For now, the defence is celebrating what it calls a "vindication" that the police's own doctor has confirmed their clients were never sodomized, and therefore had no reason to accuse Pastor Kayanja except fabrication.