Uganda arrests pentecoastal Pastor for claiming Coronavirus doesn’t exist in Africa

By Nangayi Guyson

Kampala, Uganda (RTN) - Authorities in Uganda have arrested  Pastor  Augustine Yiga of Revival Church Kawala in  Rubaga Division, a Kampala suburb for telling his followers that the notorious coronavirus does not exist in Uganda or Africa and is just a mere flu.

Adding that guidelines by President Museveni, Health Ministry and World Health Organisation are a waste of time.  

Police in Kampala picked the controversial pastor after making the statements on Saturday morning.

Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, Patrick Onyango, said Pastor Yiga was for questioning over the statements that mislead the public.

“The action of Pastor Iga promotes the spread of the COVID 19 and can, therefore, be considered as a direct attack on the people of the Republic of Uganda,” Onyango said in a statement.

” Therefore, the suspect, who is currently detained at Old Kampala Police Station will be interviewed to establish the motive behind the dangerous utterances.”

Section 171 of the penal code act criminalises negligent actions that are likely to spread infection of disease. The offence attracts seven years of imprisonment upon conviction.

A a lot of misinformation about the virus has been making rounds in Africa given the fact that it took long before spreading to Africa.

Uganda has so far registered 30 cases of coronavirus. 46 countries in Africa have confirmed cases of the coronavirus with 3,426 testing positive, 94 deaths and 253 recoveries.