Jinja | When Jesus Christ taught his audience in His Great Sermon on the Mount to “…Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge…and you will be thrown into prison…” as recorded in Matthew 5:25, as a segment of his bigger message to encourage them to live by a moral code that far exceeds mere formal adherence to the law, many of the followers then and now still find it hard to follow the teaching.
The saga which started as a friendly gesture between two families of Pentecostal Bishop Daniel Muwanga of Rock Base Church and Ven Rev Charles Irongo the Archdeacon of Kyando Archdeaconry in Mayuge under Busoga Diocese, is shockingly now a matter of court.
“…take notice that Bishop Daniel Muwanga the respondent named above being dissatisfied with the entire judgement of the court presided over by Her Lordship Dr Hon Nabisinde Winifred, judge of the High Court of Uganda delivered at Jinja on the 24 day of October 2023, intends to appeal to the Court of Appeal of Uganda Holden at Kampala against the whole said decision…” reads in part the notice of Appeal.
The notice dated 30 October 2023 was drawn and filed by Kampala city lawyer Deric Isabirye of M/s Deric Advocates and Solicitors law firm and arose from the Criminal Appeal no 28 of 2021 which also arose from Jinja Criminal Case 312 of 2020.
How it started
Credible sources say Muwanga and Irongo were great friends known to family members who at first belonged to the Anglican Church before Muwangabrokeg off and founded his new Church.
It’s reported that Muwanga started extending financial and material support including educating some children who left their home and lived with him at a home situated along Kiira Road in Jinja City.
As part of this benevolence, Muwanga went ahead to build a shs120m house for his fellow man of God who now happily lives with his family members.
To reciprocate, the two servants of God crafted an agreement which was witnessed by one of the Jinja-based lawyers Stephen Muzusa of M/S Mujusa & Co. Advocates to curve part of the land in question as compensation for the building in which the Irongo family now lives.
Rev Irongo reportedly willingly and knowingly signed the transfer forms to enable the title of the land in question to be transferred in the name of Bishop Muwanga.
This is when trouble started among some family members who opposed and frustrated the move arguing that their family land could not be given away to a stranger just like that.
Apparently, bowing to pressure, Rev Irongo dragged Muwanga to court on two counts of forgery (civil suit and uttering a false document) where the Jinja Grade 1 Magistrate Happy Ann Kyomuhangi acquitted Muwanga.
In his affidavit, Irongo reduced Bishop Muwanga to a mere business partner in dealing with nursery beds to supply seedlings to the government-funded National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS).
Rev Irongo says the project collapsed after losing market and the two again ventured into rearing at least 100 cattle to begin with, which requires additional funding through a bank loan.
He says it was at this time that Bishop Muwanga asked him to deposit his land title to the unnamed bank as collateral to obtain the money to fund their new project.
“…however, to my surprise on 23/11/2016, I got to know that the respondent (Muwanga) had fraudulently and illegally transferred my title into his name without my consent or knowledge…,” reads the affidavit.
He also accuses Bishop Muwanga of trying to take advantage of his financial stress to grab his land which was his contribution to the joint business partnership.
The trial magistrate found it strange that Rev Irongo, in his affidavit admits he signed some documents to secure a bank loan to fund their purported collapsed business, yet at the same time a handwriting expert report disowned the signature.
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“…I find that prosecution failed to produce evidence strong enough to implicate the accused (Muwanga), and I accordingly acquit him on both accounts…,” reads the ruling by the trial magistrate Anne Happy Kyomuhangi, the then Grade One Magistrate.
The magistrate based her acquittal on the witnesses who were present during the signing of the document and the confession by Rev. Irongo that he signed under a mistaken identity because he was deceived.
Eng. Herbert Sempera, the expert contracted to construct the shs120m house where Irongo family members now reside, also confirmed with documentary evidence showing he was engaged by Bishop Muwanga.
Not satisfied, Rev Irongo appealed to the High Court which overturned and convicted Muwanga of both counts. The matter was before the Jinja Resident Judge, Lady Justice Dr Winnifred Nabisinde.
Muwanga was to either spend two years in the coolers or pay a fine of shs2,000,000 and he chose the latter.
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Bishop Muwanga has now appealed to the Supreme Court where he expects a better judgement, arguing that he cannot spend millions of hard-earned family money to support a friend who has now turned into a foe.
When approached for a comment, Muwanga who said he had just returned from a weeklong conference in neighbouring Tanzania declined to comment.
“…we don’t discuss matters that are before the courts of law my brother, as a journalist you should know that it is tantamount to contempt of court, so kindly allow the judiciary to handle…,” Muwanga said in a brief phone interview before hanging up.
While Christians are always encouraged to seek reconciliation and forgiveness, the two senior pastors who hardly miss a day to read or preach to their followers have probably not yet grasped the true meaning and relevance of the scriptural provisions in their individual lives.
This endless court saga has baffled many Christians as to why the two senior men who call themselves servants of God have failed to resolve their differences amicably before church elders.
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