Mengo Magistrate Court Tuesday granted controversial Evangelist, Augustine Yiga (pictured) of Revival Christian Church Kawaala-Lubaga Division in Kampala, a non-cash bail of Shs2M after spending a month in prison at Kitalya Government prison for uttering statements disputing the existence of Coronovirus in Uganda and Africa.
While delivering ruling on Yiga’s bail application via video conferencing at Buganda Road Court, Grade One Magistrate, Timothy Lumunye Lumunye ordered Yiga to comply with all the operating guidelines and laws intended to prevent the spread of COVOD-19.
Yiga’s sureties were asked to sign a noncash bond of Shs5m and ensure that Pastor Yiga returns to court on 25th June 2020 as investigations into his case continues.
The Court also has restrained Pastor Yiga from making comments in form of opinion on COVID-19 before his followers, on Television or any social platform whether by way of interview or online posting.
Prosecution alleges that on 27th/March/2020 while at his Church and before reporters of various TV stations, Yiga uttered statements disputing the existence of coronavirus in Uganda and Africa at large, well knowing that such words are likely to hamper efforts to contain spread of coronavirus that had been declared as a pandemic by World Health Organisation.
When the video recording made rounds on social media, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Diana Atwine called on Police to arrest and prosecute Yiga after a video.
In the clip making rounds on social media, Yiga dared Government to arrest and imprison him, but vowed not to change his opinion about the non-existence of Coronovirus in Uganda and Africa at large.
Yiga said: “Whether Government imprisons me, I don’t care, but I am speaking the truth, there is no Coronovirus in Uganda. They say Rwanda has over 40 cases, how comes no one has passed on? Do they want to say Rwanda has better treatment than China and Italy?”
He added: “The President said Uganda has 18 cases and that they’re responding to treatment, does he want to say Uganda has better treatment than Italy, China and US. Has Tanzania reported any deaths? Kenya reported one death but I think the victim died from other complications not Coronovirus. Coronovirus is this common flue and cold that Africans have grown up with.”
