After severally being declared dead whereas he was yet, Uganda’s controversial Pastor Augustine Yiga, was finally declared dead on Monday night. His family said he succumbed to liver complications.
At the time of his death, Yiga had been admitted at Nsambya hospital. He was the founder and lead pastor of Kawaala based Revival Church.
Although Yiga was a preacher, his life was full of controversy. He was in and out of jail on allegations of raping and impregnating female members of his church. Not once or twice, Yiga would find himself in the news on either rape or child neglect accusations.
One particular case that made several headlines in Uganda’s major newspapers and mainstream broadcasts, was that of a 26-year female, Brenda Nalubega, who alleged that she had been raped and impregnated by pastor Yiga in 2014.
Nalubega claimed that Yiga had raped her when she visited him for special prayers. The woman alleged that the pastor had declined to look after the child she had conceived through his rape act. She added that he had also infected her with HIV.
The matter went up to Nabweru Court where Yiga made an agreement to provide a monthly stipend of 150000 shillings. Nevertheless, Nalubega dragged Yiga to High Court in 2015 claiming the preacher had stopped providing the help he had promised before in court. The matter was later settled.
Last year, another woman dragged Yiga to Kawempe police station claiming she had been raped and impregnated by the same pastor Yiga. His followers stormed Kawempe police station protesting his arrest. He was later released after he agreed for a DNA test but the case ended mysteriously as it did not make it to court.
In March this year, police arrested Yiga after his preaching on non-existence of Covid19 went viral. He was arrested and remanded to Kitalya government prison for more than 38 days. Aged 44, Yiga was born on April 25, 1976 to late Elizabeth Kwagala and Joseph Matovu in Bukomansimbi district.
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