Pr Bugingo faces five-year jail term over new marriage

Dec 12, 2021

“Even if you call God to sit here, I will never get back to Teddy,” Bugingo is quoted to have told his followers. 

Bugingo and Makula (Pictured) got married on December 7 at Kawuku, Katabi Town council in Wakiso district, but his Naluswa, on Wednesday, filed a case, accusing him of committing a bigamy.

Edward Anyoli
Journalist @New Vision

COURT | PASTOR BUJINGO | BIGAMY 

KAMPALA - Four days after being introduced in a lavish traditional wedding, Pastor Aloysius Bugingo is facing criminal charges that attract up to five years in jail if convicted. 

Bugingo’s wife, Teddy Naluswa, on Wednesday, filed a case, reference number GEF 84/2021 at Kawempe Police Station in Kampala, accusing him of committing a serious crime of bigamy. 

She filed the case in her capacity as the lawful wife of Bugingo. Bugingo was introduced by Susan Makula Nantaba yet he is still officially married to Naluswa. 

Naluswa wants the Police to investigate the case with the view of prosecuting Bugingo over allegations of conducting unlawful marriage, which is criminal under the law. 

Bugingo filed for divorce in 2019, but court is yet to pronounce itself on the issue after failed attempts to reconcile the couple. 

Under the Penal Code, bigamy is a criminal act, which attracts five years in prison. 

Bigamy is having two marriages, with the additional marriage coming after the first when divorce for the first marriage has not yet been finalised. 

Naluswa reported the case through her lawyer, Arthur Ssempebwa from Katende, Ssempebwa and Company Advocates. 

When contacted, Ssempebwa confirmed that Naluswa, with his (Ssempebwa) guidance, lodged a complaint to the Police regarding the marriage, which he said is illegal. 

“Today (Wednesday), with our help, she formally lodged a complaint at Kawempe Police Station under the jurisdiction where she stays and works. 

Naluswa wants the Police to investigate the case with the view of prosecuting Bugingo over allegations of conducting unlawful marriage, which is criminal under the law.

Naluswa wants the Police to investigate the case with the view of prosecuting Bugingo over allegations of conducting unlawful marriage, which is criminal under the law.

The complaint constitutes ingredient for the offence of Bigamy contrary to Section 153 of the Penal Code Act of Uganda, which involves going through a marriage function with another person when the spouse is alive and the marriage is still subsisting,” he said. “We are truthful, the Police will investigate this offence to bring charges against Bugingo for bigamy,” Ssempebwa said. 

Under section 153 of the Penal Code, any person found guilty of committing the offence of Bigamy is liable to five years in jail. 

The section states that any person who, having a husband or wife living, goes through a marriage ceremony which is void by reason of it taking place during the life of such husband or wife, commits a felony and is liable to imprisonment for five years.

Bugingo and Makula got married on December 7 at Kawuku, Katabi Town council in Wakiso district. 

Attempts to have the matter resolved through a court mediation process meant to reconcile Bugingo and his wife failed. 

Mediation 

Since April, High Court family division presided over by Dr Justice Joseph Murangira, made attempts to reconcile the couple, but Bugingo rejected the mediators, accusing them of bias. 

Previously, Naluswa had made several attempts to have the matter settled but she was not successful. 

Court has since set January 25 next year as the hearing date for the divorce case (civil) at High Court, family division in Makindye, Kampala. 

According to Bugingo’s lawyer, Ronald Ruhinda from Ruhinda Advocates and Solicitors, Bishop Joshua Lwere [was appointed as the mediator] is a biased mediator and an interested party. 

Lwere is the general overseer of the National Fellowship of the Born-Again Christians of the Pentecostal Churches of Uganda. 

He is also the founder and senior pastor of Grace Assembly. 

The second mediator, chief executive director of the Uganda National Roads Authority Allen Kagina has also not helped to reconcile the couple. 

Court mediation is a private process where a neutral third person helps the parties involved in discussing and resolving the dispute. Whereas there can be mediation, the process can remain voluntary, in that the parties are not required to agree.

Bugingo was introduced by Susan Makula Nantaba yet he is still officially married to Naluswa.

Bugingo was introduced by Susan Makula Nantaba yet he is still officially married to Naluswa.

Pastors denounce Bujingo 

Meanwhile, the association of Born-again pastors under their umbrella organisation National Fellowship of Born-Again Pentecostal Churches has denounced Bugingo’s decision to remarry. 

“We hereby denounce and dissociate ourselves from Pastor Aloysius Bugingo’s practices, outbursts, behaviour and doctrine. We, therefore, do not recognise his ministry until we see genuine repentance and an acceptable change,” the association of pastors has said. 

In a statement that was issued by Lwere and two other executive members of the association, Rev. Dr Simon Emiau and Daniel Waddimba, the pastors said Bugingo’s action is unacceptable. 

“We have further learnt that Pastor Bugingo is proposing to divorce his wife to marry another, and is publicly encouraging others to do so. We want to emphatically state that we strongly condemn what Pastor Bugingo is proposing and doing. 

"As Church leaders, we preach and teach marital faithfulness, forgiveness and reconciliation and we do not condone marital unfaithfulness, immorality, divorce and other doctrines that undermine the sanity of family and marriage,” the statement states.

Background 

Bugingo, in 2019 filed a divorce case at Kajjansi Chief Magistrates’ Court in Kampala, against his wife and sought for dissolution of the marriage. 

He accused Naluswa of being disrespectful to him. In her response to the divorce case, Naluswa maintains that she has never been disrespectful to Bugingo since they walked down the aisle 18 years ago. 

She argues that she still has faith in their marriage, which is why she considers it valid. 

The couple got married at Victory Christian Centre Church, Ndeeba, in Kampala, on December 20, 2003. 

It is purported that the divorce is premised on a disagreement over purchase of church land, which remained unresolved, an assertion Naluswa has denied. 

She vehemently opposed the dissolution of their marriage, saying what God has already put together no person should put asunder.

Bujingo vows not to reunite

In the past, Bugingo, was quoted in the media as saying he will never reunite with his wife.

“Even if you call God to sit here, I will never get back to Teddy,” Bugingo is quoted to have told his followers. 

He accuses his wife of being in constant communication with his known rivals, a claim Naluswa has denied. 

It is not clear who his rivals are.

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