The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has taken over the criminal proceedings against House of Prayer Ministries International (HPMI) lead Pastor Aloysius Bugingo and his lover Susan Makula Nantaba.
The Entebbe Court Chief Magistrates Her Worship Stella Okwang Pacular on 20th December, 2021 charged Bugingo and Susan with three counts under the Marriage Act and summoned the couple for plea taking on 21st January,2022.
The lawsuit was initially instituted by controversial lawyer Male Mabirizi.
In a letter to the Chief Magistrate of Entebbe Magistrates Court, Janet Kitimbo the Entebbe Resident Chief State Attorney asked Mabirizi to avail them with reasonable information and furnish them with all the documents in relation to the case.
“Pursuant to the Article 120 (3) (c) of the Constitution of Uganda 1995 and Section 42 (1) (a) and (c) of the Magistrates Courts Act, Cap 16; this is to inform the court that the DPP is taking over the criminal prosecution in this case. We, therefore, request that the complainant avail us with all the reasonable information and furnish us with all documents under their control regarding this case,” Kitimbo wrote.
However, Mabirizi says he will not allow the DPP, Jane Frances Abodo to play around with his case or make the Court look like an unserious place where she breathes cold and warm at the same time.
“DPP must know that she cannot eat her cake and have it at the same time. If she wanted to take over, she would not have informed Court that she would not take over,” Angry Mabirizi said on Friday.
“I know this is a desperate move by Bugingo and Makula, who have tried without any success, to threaten, intimidate and compromise both Court and Private Prosecutor. He has now seen DPP’s Office as a soft spot but its too late since the same office is on Court record declining to disturb the Prosecutor. I will on Monday 17th January 2022, take appropriate action to strike out this illegal, null, void and senseless attempt to play around with our search for justice against a man and woman who think they are above the law.”
Bugingo and Susan are to appear before the court on January 21 over the case.
Recently, Bugingo attacked Mabirizi for dragging him to court over his marriage with Susan.
During his lunch hour fellowship service, Bugingo said Mabirizi is a’ pig’ which wants spoilt things only.
He said God cannot forsake him (His Pastor) and then side with a useless person like Mabirizi.
“Some people are loitering around, I hear Mabiizi.. They are pigs. How can God side with Mabiizi and leave Bugingo who speaks with the sick, the blind?It can’t be. The Mabiizi said that I will be sentenced to 35 years in prison… ” Bugingo told his followers who cheered him with wild jubilations.
On 7th December this year, Salt Media boss was introduced by Susan in a customary marriage ceremony that was held in Katabi, Entebbe Municipality.
Just a day after their Kwanjula, controversial city lawyer Mabirizi dragged Bugingo and Susan to court for breaching customary marriage norms of Uganda.
In a lawsuit filed by Mabirizi, he said that the couple violated the Customary Marriage Law which prohibits married people from remarrying before divorce.
After being summoned to Court, Pastor Bugingo came out to deny ever being introduced as new husband to longtime lover Susan.
“My visit to Susan Makula’s home was just a casual visit and not traditional marriage ceremony,” Bugingo said as quoted by New Vision newspaper.
Namirembe Christian Fellowship (NCF) founder Pastor Simeon Kayiwa also said pastor Bugingo’s visit to Susan Makula’s family early this month was not an introduction ceremony but rather a get together party.
Pastor Kayiwa, during an interview with UBC TV, said he escorted his colleague Bugingo to Susan’s family to pray for them and short of that there was no big deal.
“I escorted my colleague Pastor Bugingo to Susan’s family to pray for them. Every person is prayed for even if he/she is condemned and about to die. I went to pray and bless the family of those who invited me,” Pastor Kayiwa openly said despite the availability of all the implicating evidence on both the mainstream and social media showing Bugingo being introduced (kwanjula) to Susan’s parents as their daughter’s husband.
” I was not among the entourage, I just went to pray for people. About the dress code, they requested us to put on that way. The dress code attire was for free and everyone was putting it on so I also decided to follow suit. I didn’t want to be the odd man out.”
The Kayiwa International University proprietor also disclosed that he had to escort Bugingo to his ‘get together’ event because he is his good friend.
“Bugingo is my student, he studies from my University, he is also a pastor and most importantly he is my good friend. How could he invite me for a function and I refuse to honor it? He was also invited for the event…. It was a get together, it was a general get together of people in Bugingo’s life.”
In 2019, Bugingo officially proposed to Susan.
The pastor made the bold move during his Annual Independence prayer night at Namboole Stadium.
Earlier on, Bugingo had told his followers that he had to marry Susan whether Ugandans like it or not as he scoffed at those who thought that he would reconcile with his embattled wife Teddy Naluswa Bugingo saying it was high time they stopped dreaming.
Susan is an employee at Salt Radio and TV and the couple started dating way back in 2016.
In May 2019, Bugingo and Teddy’s love story turned sour when the former publicly exposed the latter whom he accused of wanting to kill him.
He also accused her of conspiring to steal his Church land citing them as some of the reasons why he can no longer stay with her thus demanding for divorce.
Teddy denied the allegations and opposed the divorce petition stating church marriage is meant to last for forever and that her husband had no valid issues as to why he was divorcing her.
Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at editorial@watchdoguganda.com
