Pastor arrested for eloping with married woman, abduction

By Davis Buyondo
 
LYANTONDE - A pastor in Lyantonde district was on Thursday arrested for allegedly eloping with a married woman and illegally confining three children at his residence.
 
The suspect in custody has been identified as Daniel Muwanguzi, 35, a resident of Kaliiro B zone in Lyantonde Town council.
 
He is not known to have affiliations to any born-again churche in Lyantonde.
 
The Police’s Child Family Protection Unit (CFPU, raided Muwanguzi’s residence and found three children under 16 years sharing a tiny single-room with Muwanguzi.

The raid comes after a jilted man, Jonan Ssekabira, reported how Muwanguzi lured his wife, Harriet Nakate, mother of four, to elope.
 
Ssekabira reported the matter on Tuesday, but took matters to the office of the Resident District Commissioner citing furstration by police.
 
Nakate however was not at the home on searching Muwanguzi’s residence.

Jonan Ssekabira (right) whose wife was allegdly snatched by Muwanguzi. Photo by Davis Buyondo

Instead, four girls who had spent close to a week at Muwanguzi’s place were found.
 
The girls had been put in Muwanguzi’s custody by their own parent 'to pray and heal them of their spiritual related ailments.'
 
The girls, however, denied any sexual abuse had taken place although they shared a room with Muwanguzi.
 
Beatrice Kabasindi, the Officer in Charge of CFPU, said it was wrongful confinement.
 
To Kabasindi, wrongful confinement means restraining of an individual in such a manner that prevents him/her from proceeding beyond certain circumscribed limits.
 
When police raided Muwanguzi's residence, he attempted to jump over the perimeter wall but the RDC’s guard caught him.
 
He said denied having snatched Ssekabira’s wife nor asked for any sexual advances from her in exchange for prayers as alleged. He also denied allegations of sexual abuse against the girls.

Muwanguzi had told the Deputy RDC Carolyn Kashaijja who led the operation that he was operating independently but under the supervision of different pastors and churches in Lyantonde.
 
He confessed to having been expelled from one of the Pentecostal churches in Buyamba constituency in Rakai district and decided to work alone.

He said had deviated from the church teachings after introducing a strange doctrine in the church he declined to mention.
 
Kabasindi explained that many fake pastors have been arrested in connection with elopement, rape and defilement, obtaining money by false pretense among others.
 
According to Kashaijja, her office has received several complaints from the genuine pastors of fake preachers who wrongfully associate themselves with their churches.
 
Pastor Mukisa Abdul, of Holy Gospel Healing Church in Kaliiro B told the New Vision that the influx of fake preachers in Lyantonde is worrying.
 
Mukisa said that they have persistently tarnished the reputation of the born-again ministry in the area by doing things contrary to what the biblical teachings.
 
He urged the RDC to enforce impromptu operations and scrutinize the born-again churches and preachers in order and wipe out impersonators.
 
Meanwhile, an SD Ref. 23/05/11/2015 has been opened up for inquiries to begin. Ruth Nkamusiima, the OC CIID Lyantonde, said that they charged Muwanguzi with impersonation with intent to extort money from residents.
 
She explained that they could not charge him with elopement due to lack of evidence.
 
She added that they have also dumped charges of unlawful confinement against Muwanguzi after the girl’s parents admitted to have permitted him to stay with them.
 
The girls were later handed over to their parents after cautioning by the CFPU. But Muwanguzi is still in custody at Lyantonde police station after he was denied bond.