Ugandan Pastor, Augustine Yiga, has been remanded in prison for allegedly denying the existence of coronavirus on Monday.
Reports from AFP show that the cleric, Revival Christian Church, disclosed his statement via a local television stations, that there is “no coronavirus in Uganda and Africa”.
Uganda police spokesman Patrick Onyango said, “Pastor Yiga of the Revival Christian Church was charged and remanded in prison for doing acts likely to cause the spread of COVID - 19".
“Claiming that COVID - 19 doesn't exist in Africa and Uganda undermines government efforts in fighting the epidemic and exposes the public to great danger of laxity in observing the guidelines on its control and prevention ,” he added .
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But the pastor’s lawyer, Wilberforce Kayiwa, said Yiga denied the charge of promoting the spread of the virus .
However, the pastor who runs a church and television station, faces a jail term of up to seven years.
Uganda has so far reported 33 cases of the virus .
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has urged people to stay home but has stopped short of ordering a lockdown.
Schools, places of entertainment and worship and some agricultural markets have been shut for a month and people have been banned from using public transport, and being more than three to a car, or one on a private motorbike.
Last week a court in the capital charged six Chinese nationals and two Ugandans with “an act likely to spread infection of disease" after the Ugandans allegedly helped the Chinese nationals escape self - quarantine at a hotel .
But the pastor’s lawyer, Wilberforce Kayiwa, said Yiga denied the charge of promoting the spread of the virus .
However, the pastor who runs a church and television station, faces a jail term of up to seven years.
Uganda has so far reported 33 cases of the virus .
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has urged people to stay home but has stopped short of ordering a lockdown.
Schools, places of entertainment and worship and some agricultural markets have been shut for a month and people have been banned from using public transport, and being more than three to a car, or one on a private motorbike.
Last week a court in the capital charged six Chinese nationals and two Ugandans with “an act likely to spread infection of disease" after the Ugandans allegedly helped the Chinese nationals escape self - quarantine at a hotel .
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