Pastor Jackson Ssenyonga must be blaming the devil for deceiving him over a misguided plot to black mail Pastor Robert Kayanja. His star witness Reagan Ssentongo admitted before Court that he agreed to the plot to tarnish Pastor Kayanja out of anger for delayed salary during the covid period. Ssentongo, shortly after denying, admitted that he had approached pastors Bujjingo and Ssenyonga who gave him a go ahead with the planned sodomy blackmail. This was after audios wereu played in court of Ssentongo planning to meet the named pastors. In another damning revelation, Ssentongo admitted that he also approached bloggers like Lumbuye with false allegations. Suspect in pastor Kayanja trespass case used bloggers in blackmail campaign.
A visibly shaken Reagan Ssentongo told court that he made the allegations after being advised by his former colleagues, but maintained that his main concern was for pastor Kayanja to pay his salary he had worked for as a security manager at the Kiryandongo Farm.
Ssentongo Reagan, who is accused of making the allegations against Pastor Kayanja, made the admission while being cross-examined by Chief State Attorney Jonathan Muwaganya.
Ssentongo said he had never wanted to fabricate any allegations against Pastor Kayanja but wanted the pastor to pay him money he was demanding after he worked at Pastor Kayanja’s farm.
He said he made the allegations of homosexuality following advice from a group of people .
The prosecution referred to several messages sent by Ssentongo to pastor Kayanja between May and July 2021in which he repeatedly asked for his salary arrears .
In one message dated May 5, 2021, Ssentongo asked Kayanja to help him with his salary so that he could start something in the village because life was hard for him.
However, when Muwaganya asked him whether he was demanding salary arrears or money connected to the sodomy allegations, Ssentongo maintained that he was demanding for his salary and he will not stop until he is paid .
The prosecution presented another message in which Ssentongo reminded Kayanja of a promise to pay him.
Asked to read pastor Kayanja’s response to his repeated demand messages ,
Ssentongo read ” pastor Kayanja responded that Ssentongo had quit his job and that he was looking for his money, which he did not have at the time.
Ssentongo also confirmed that by May 2021, he had left his employment as a security manager at Pastor Kayanja’s farm .
The prosecution also referred to messages in which Ssentongo complained about the difficulties of village life and asked Kayanja to help him with his salary, saying he was out of money and had nothing to eat for breakfast.
The prosecution also referred to a message in which Ssentongo apologised to Kayanja, saying he did not want to hurt him and that he had acted on the advice of other people.
Muwaganya put it to Ssentongo that after his efforts to obtain money from Kayanja failed, he resorted to other means, including involving bloggers, to exert pressure on the pastor.
The prosecution told court that Ssentongo engaged bloggers, including Lumbuye and SB4, as part of a campaign against Kayanja.
Muwaganya also brought proof that Ssentongo communicated with people described as historical enemies of Kayanja and that some individuals were being protected because they were allegedly behind the blackmail campaign.
The prosecution referred to a message in which Ssentongo allegedly stated that the “next stop over is Makerere Kavule.” Muwaganya interpreted this message to mean Ssentongo was referring stepping-stone at pastor Jackson Ssenyonga’s Church.
Court has been also shown screenshots of alleged communication between a former group member, Kisakye Collins, and Pastor Solomon Male and David Kiganda who are believed to be sworn enemies of pastor Kayanja .
The prosecution further played voice recordings in which Ssentongo was heard discussing to reach Salt FM, a radio station associated with Pastor Aloysius Bugingo to help with his smear campaign.
When asked about the recordings, Ssentongo confirmed that he was the voice belongs to him .
Muwaganya put it to Ssentongo that his objective was to force pastor Kayanja to pay him .
The prosecutor further asked Ssentongo whether his position was that if the money was not paid, he would cause chaos.
Ssentongo answered in the affirmative.
The court heard that Ssentongo’s outstanding balance as of May 2021 was Sh4m, which he confirmed.
The hearing was adjourned after the defence requested more time to re-examine Ssentongo and to call another witness.
