City pastor probed over fake concert
Sep 20, 2011
THE Police are probing a pastor over alleged theft and extortion following a botched weekend concert at Nakivubo War Memorial Stadium in Kampala.
By Herbert Ssempogo
THE Police are probing a pastor over alleged theft and extortion following a botched weekend concert at Nakivubo War Memorial Stadium in Kampala.
Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Ibin Ssenkumbi said a general enquiry file was opened at Old Kampala Police Station as the investigation into the Sunday event got underway.
The event was dubbed Ekibo Ky’emotoka Kampala Vulumula. Pastor Elijah Ssemugabi had reportedly promised that lucky people would win 15 new Toyota Ipsum cars, among other things.
Ssemugabi, a self-styled bishop and the founder of Uganda Family Farm Factory, had on September 9, announced that the best musician would receive a new Range Rover.
However, when eager revellers got into the stadium on Sunday, the silence was akin to that in a library. The music was not playing as is often the case before artistes start performing.
“Pastor Ssemugabi hired music equipment at sh18m. He paid sh7m and promised to pay sh11m on Sunday. But by midday, he had not paid so the owners turned the music off,†Ssenkumbi stated, adding that Ssemugabi reportedly owed the stadium management sh5m.
The stadium management, the music equipment owners and those supposed to sell drinks and snacks surrounded him, demanding their money.
The Police stepped in and rescued him shortly after.
Six of the complainants went to Old Kampala Police Station yesterday to record statements regarding their ordeal.
Ssemugabi, a detective said, would later be summoned to the station.
“We could not summon him before capturing what the complaints have to say,†a detective said.
In 2009, Ssemugabi was probed after hundreds of children he had promised school fees got stranded at his church in Nsambya, Kampala.
Ssemugabi could not be reached for a comment as his cell phone was off.
THE Police are probing a pastor over alleged theft and extortion following a botched weekend concert at Nakivubo War Memorial Stadium in Kampala.
Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Ibin Ssenkumbi said a general enquiry file was opened at Old Kampala Police Station as the investigation into the Sunday event got underway.
The event was dubbed Ekibo Ky’emotoka Kampala Vulumula. Pastor Elijah Ssemugabi had reportedly promised that lucky people would win 15 new Toyota Ipsum cars, among other things.
Ssemugabi, a self-styled bishop and the founder of Uganda Family Farm Factory, had on September 9, announced that the best musician would receive a new Range Rover.
However, when eager revellers got into the stadium on Sunday, the silence was akin to that in a library. The music was not playing as is often the case before artistes start performing.
“Pastor Ssemugabi hired music equipment at sh18m. He paid sh7m and promised to pay sh11m on Sunday. But by midday, he had not paid so the owners turned the music off,†Ssenkumbi stated, adding that Ssemugabi reportedly owed the stadium management sh5m.
The stadium management, the music equipment owners and those supposed to sell drinks and snacks surrounded him, demanding their money.
The Police stepped in and rescued him shortly after.
Six of the complainants went to Old Kampala Police Station yesterday to record statements regarding their ordeal.
Ssemugabi, a detective said, would later be summoned to the station.
“We could not summon him before capturing what the complaints have to say,†a detective said.
In 2009, Ssemugabi was probed after hundreds of children he had promised school fees got stranded at his church in Nsambya, Kampala.
Ssemugabi could not be reached for a comment as his cell phone was off.