By KT Reporter
A 36-year-old resident of Makindye Division has been arrested for impersonation after collecting condolences in multiple churches under the pretense of losing a nine-year-old daughter. Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson Racheal Kawala identified the suspect as David Ashabahebwa, a resident of Kilombe Zone, Nsambya Parish, Makindye Division. He is currently detained at Kabalagala Police Division.
The suspect’s activities came to light over the weekend at St. Stephen’s Church of Uganda in Nsambya, where he told Reverend Esther Mulungi and the congregation that he had lost a nine-year-old child. This prompted the church to collect condolences on his behalf.
However, during the handover of collected funds, former lay leader of St. Noah Kitukutwe in Gayaza, Mathias Akoragye, recognized Ashabahebwa as a repeat offender who had previously used the same scam to defraud congregations.
In a circulating video, Akoragye said: “He came to me when I was a lay leader at St. Noah Kitukutwe and told me that his daughter had died. We collected over 1 million shillings for him, and I even wrote to the Diocese of Ibanda to help him. After that, he disappeared and never showed up again.”
Akoragye added: “The same thing he has done to other churches in Namirembe Diocese; today he even came to St. Stephen’s Nsambya. He is a conman. I call on other church leaders—Anglican, Catholic, and Pentecostal—to come forward with evidence because this is a criminal case, not a church issue.”
The police have charged Ashabahebwa with obtaining money through pretenses and are calling on other churches that may have been victimized to come forward with evidence.
Investigations indicate that the suspect has been visiting multiple churches in Namugogo, Gayaza, and Kira—across Anglican, Catholic, and Pentecostal denominations—requesting condolences and financial support from congregations and church leaders every Sunday.
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