Pastor steals woman’s bag, cash in church
News | July 12, 2009
http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/sun_news/Pastor_steals_woman_s_bag_cash_in_church_87906.shtml
Mariam Kabasongora
Kamwenge
Court in Kamwenge District has sentenced a pastor to 48 months in jail after it found that the pastor stole Shs90,000 from a parishioner in the district.
The Court, presided over by Kamwenge Grade 1 Magistrate, John Kategaya, on Friday heard that Pastor Vicent Wamala, who heads Zigote Miracle Centre in Mityana District, was visiting New Life Church in Kamwenge when he committed the offence.
Prosecution further convinced court that while praying at New Life Church on Kabuga Road on June 21, Pastor Wamala spotted a bag belonging to Ms Teddy Karungyi with whom they were seated together. The bag contained Shs 90,000 and a mobile phone.
Court heard that when the presiding pastor asked the congregation to close their eyes for a healing prayer, Pastor Wamala used the opportunity and took off with the woman’s bag.
The flock mounted a hunt and later found the bag which was now empty in the urinals. They later mounted a thorough search for Pastor Wamala until they arrested him.
Giving his verdict, the magistrate said Pastor Wamala had been convicted to 48 months in jail to deter others from committing the same offence.
In another room at the same court , Grade 11 Magistrate David Mwine, sentenced Mr Edson Byabashija to seven months in jail for stealing a sack of groundnuts belonging to Mr Gideon Namanya. The convict allegedly stole his brother’s groundnuts in Butemba village in Kamwenge Sub-county. It is said that Byabashaija committed the crime when his brother had gone to church last Sunday.
