NABBED: Scores Of Pastors, Catherine Kusasira Face Arrest Over Embezzled Shs 4b From Christians

By PATRICK JARAMOGI

MUTUKULA, Uganda|SHIFTMEDIA|The self-styled Revival Ministries Church Pastor, Sirajje Ssemanda who was arrested as he tried to sneak out of Uganda through the Mutukula border post on Sunday will be arraigned in court tomorrow.

Sirajje was arrested by a team of police from and detectives from the State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SHACU) over allegations of embezzling over sh4b from scores of Christians.

The Bombo based church pastor is not alone, according to detectives attached to the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) scores of cases have reported also implication Pastor Mondo Mugisha, Catherine Kusasira among others.

The trio and others still at large defrauded over 400 private school owners and thousands of parents of vulnerable children promising them trips to Israel and South Africa.

Some Pastors were promised cash from Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) and a meeting with the fountain of Honor President Museveni.

Ssemanda who was briefly detained at the Mutukula Border Police post has reportedly been transferred to Kampala, and sources say he is being detained at the SIU headquarters in Kireka. The SIU commandant would neither deny nor confirmed when contacted, though a close detective said:

“We have a suspect from Mutukula who was brought in early today, but I don’t have much details.” 

According to case files, Semanda and Mondo promised scholarships and trips to scores of Ugandans through their  ‘Hands Across the World Initiative Uganda’ a locally registered NGO.

At least 600 Christians paid cash ranging from shs1m to 900,000 each for the trip that was due to take place between 2017- 2018.

The Head of the State House Anti Corruption Lt. Col Edith Nakalema confirmed that Pastor Mondo and Catherine Kusasira have been summoned to answer charges of embezzlement and fraud.

She said over 3,000 pastors were reportedly defrauded,