Pastor arrested for spreading false information on COVID-19

A Ugandan Pastor,  Augustine Yiga of Revival Church Kawaala has been arrested by the police for spreading false information about coronavirus.

The pastor last week said, that coronavirus is not a dangerous disease but a common flu.

He said,

“Whether Government imprisons me, I don’t care, but I am speaking the truth, there is no Coronavirus 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?”

“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 the US? Has Tanzania reported any deaths? Kenya reported one death but I think the victim died from other complications not Coronavirus. Coronavirus is this common flu and cold that Africans have grown up with.”

“The Pastor is suspected to have said, in a video recording branded by BBS TV, that the Covid-19 is not in Uganda. The video that went viral undermines government efforts in fighting the pandemic and exposes the public to dangers of laxity in observing the guidelines issued.”

Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Patrick Onyango said that the pastor will only be questioned over his utterances and the law will be allowed to take its cause.

“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.”

Uganda’s confirmed cases of coronavirus as of Monday is 30.

Source: mynewsghana.net