Bujjingo, the Pastor of House of Prayer Ministries in Kampala, is accused of contracting marriage by customary law with Susan Makula when already married to Teddy Naluswa, a marriage contracted on December 20, 2003, at Victory Christian Centre. But without its formal dissolution, he allegedly married Makula under customary law on December 7, 2021, in Kawuku, Wakiso district.
Lawyer Male Mabirizi has filed
another case at the Civil Division of the High Court in Kampala challenging a
decision by the Director of Public Prosecutions – DPP to take over a case in
which Pastor Aloysius Bujjingo is accused of bigamy.
Bujjingo, the Pastor of House of
Prayer Ministries in Kampala, is accused of contracting marriage by customary
law with Susan Makula when already married to Teddy Naluswa, a marriage
contracted on December 20, 2003, at Victory Christian Centre. But without its
formal dissolution, he allegedly married Makula under customary law on December
7, 2021, in Kawuku, Wakiso district.
Makula on the other hand is
charged with contracting marriage with Bujjingo well aware that he is legally
married to another woman. The matter was first presented before the courts by
lawyers; Male Mabirizi and Robert Rutaro Muhairwe who instituted private
prosecution proceedings against Bujjingo and Makula after their alleged
traditional marriage ceremony. Last month, Entebbe Grade One Magistrate Stella
Okwong Paculal consolidated the two private prosecution cases and charged
Bujjingo on two counts, and Makula on one count.
At that time, Entebbe Resident
Chief State Attorney Janet Kitimbo told the court that the DPP was not
interested in prosecuting the two. But in a turn of events, Kitimbo said, in a
letter dated January 12, 2022, to Entebbe Chief Magistrate's Court, that the
DPP is now taking over the consolidated case and asked Mabirizi and Rutaro to
provide the office of the DPP with information and documents regarding the
cases.
Mabirizi and Rutaro now argue
that DPP’s decision is null and void and that it contravenes the Magistrates’
Courts Act, as well as sections of the 1995 Constitution. Speaking to
Journalists at the High Court in Kampala on Monday, Mabirizi accused the DPP of
being ‘unserious’ and only interested in taking over and ‘killing’ his cases.
He now wants a judicial review from the High Court to quash the DPP's decision.
He cited previous cases where he
is challenging Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, the former Presidential candidate at
Wakiso, Buganda Road, LDC and Nakawa Courts over academic qualifications and
age discrepancies which the DPP took over but meddled the proceedings.
//Cue in; “DPP is a very…
Cue out…the interest now?”//
Although Bujjingo has since
denied the accusations arguing that he never conducted an introduction
ceremony, but only honoured an invitation by Makula’s parents, the litigants
rubbished it saying they have obtained evidence from the Uganda Communications
Commission – UCC and the Ministry of Gender Labour that pins him.
//Cue in; “And so far so…
Cue out…that is the case.”//
Bujjingo is expected to appear in
Court on 21 January 2022 to defend himself against the accusations. Once
convicted, he and Makula face a five-year jail sentence for each of the
offences.
Ochola's journalism career begun from Radio King 90.2 FM in Gulu around 2009, and Radio Rupiny 95.7 Fm under Vision Group in 2012. He also reported for Mighty Fire 91.5 Fm, Kitgum in 2015 before joining Wizarts Foundation in 2017.
He has been reporting for Uganda Radio Network (URN) since 2017 before being posted as Bureau Chief Kitgum, and latr Gulu between 2018 - 2021. Currently, he reports from Parliament.
