Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Self-proclaimed “Bishop” Rauben Turyasingura will face trial in the High Court on charges of sodomising a barber during the Christmas holidays.
The Buganda Road Chief Magistrates Court, presided over by Chief Magistrate Ritah Neumbe Kidasa, on Tuesday committed Turyasingura to the High Court after the prosecution presented committal papers indicating that investigations into the case were complete.
According to the summary of evidence prepared by Chief State Attorney Joan Keko, the alleged victim, whose name has been withheld to avoid further trauma, is a 21-year-old barber residing in Kikulu Zone in Kawempe Division, Kampala.
The prosecution states that the accused is a “bishop” at Serenity Foundation Ministries and a student at Cavendish University, Uganda.
Court documents show that the victim works at a salon in Kikulu Zone, where he first met Turyasingura as a customer seeking grooming services, including massage, scrub, and shaving.
Prosecutors say that as the accused continued frequenting the salon, he became acquainted with the barber and later convinced him to start providing salon services from his residence in the same area. The victim reportedly agreed because he was paid more than the standard salon charges.
The prosecution further states that on December 28, 2025, the accused informed the victim that he was travelling from his home district of Rukiga and would arrive in Kampala late at night, asking the barber to escort him to his residence.
According to the committal papers, the victim met the accused at Kitaka Stage in Kawempe Division at around midnight, and the two proceeded to the accused’s residence, where they found a shamba boy identified as Brian Mwesigwa.
Prosecutors allege that the trio entered the accused’s bedroom, where Mwesigwa served them tea before leaving.
They further allege that while inside the room, Turyasingura asked the victim to become his sexual partner and promised to pay him twenty million shillings, but the victim declined.
“That upon refusal of his advances, the accused forcefully grabbed the victim and performed a sexual act with him in his anus. The victim did not make an alarm because he feared being ashamed since he was known in that area. The victim also tried to leave the room, but the accused had locked the door,” reads the indictment.
The indictment adds that the victim later managed to leave the house when Mwesigwa opened the door while going to clean up.
“That the victim was distressed and did not report to work the following day, which prompted his friend Asiimwe Baker to look for him at his place out of concern,” it adds.
The court heard that the victim narrated his ordeal to Asiimwe Baker, and the two reported the matter to Kikaya Police Station before police transferred the case to Kira Road Police Station for investigations.
Medical examination later established that the victim had waist pain, backache, bruises inside the anus, and lacerations.
Investigators also visited the scene of the crime and recovered several exhibits, including a 200ml bottle of pure olive oil with yellow liquid, a blue towel with white stripes, and mobile phones.
A search certificate dated December 30, 2025, and an exhibit slip dated December 31, 2025, will be tendered during trial. Police later arrested Turyasingura and charged him with homosexuality, an offence he denies. The case file has now been forwarded to the High Court, which will set a hearing date. Turyasingura remains on remand at Luzira Prison until the case is fixed for trial.
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