UGANDA: Pastor arrested for diverting Shs100 million

By Agencies

Pastor John Ofumbi, the Executive Director of Nagongera Gospel Centre Church in Budama North, Tororo District has been arrested for allegedly misusing money meant for an orphanage.

The head of the US-based charity organization, Covenant Mercies, Mr Douglas Hayes accuses the pastor of diverting about Shs100 million that was meant to Maundo Orphanage Home, which is attached to the church.

Mr Robert Katuramu, the Tororo District Police Commander, said they intercepted the 56-year-old Pastor Ofumbi, on Wednesday aboard a Kampala-bound taxi.

Mr Katuramu said the suspect has been charged with diverting money to his personal businesses between 2003 to date. The suspect however, secured a police bond and was released on condition that he reports to police every week as investigations continue.

The Tororo police boss said following the mismanagement of the projects, the American charity is willing to part ways with the suspect if he hands over log books of all project cars and motor bikes to them.

Pastor Ofumbi denies the allegations.

He said he is being wrongly accused because there is no audit query to pin him. He vowed not to handover any asset of the church to the American charity because the Memorandum of Understanding between the two parties spells out that such property belongs to the church.

Source: Daily Monitor (29/10/2012): http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Pastor+arrested+for+diverting+Shs100+million/-/688334/1604572/-/thi09f/-/index.html