WAKISO – For many years, Pastor Richard Ssendi from Bweyongerere and Kanyanya ministries had been receiving funding from Mr Terry Charlton of the United Kingdom to run an orphanage.
Pastor Ssendi had been sharing correspondences with Mr Charlton via emails. The man of God would visit an internet café, open an email and send several progress reports of the orphanage project, including accountability to Mr Charlton.
Unknown to him, however, was that Mark Kigozi, a highly trained ICT professional, was monitoring Pastor Ssendi’s communications in the café.
He later hacked into the pastor’s email account and began reading the correspondences. He then manipulated the mail exchanges and then diverted over UGX80 million to his own account.
However, as fate would have it, Kigozi was netted by the police in Nansana Municipality.
On Tuesday, he admitted stealing the money.
“Police officers, me I took only UGX60 million and it is true I hacked into pastor’s email; that’s how I managed to access that money from them and I used that money to buy a Golf car and the balance I used it to have fun with my friends,” Kigozi said.
“And I was planning to steal Shs400million from them following the proposal I had submitted and the account number I opened in the Chartered Bank but before the money was sent Mr. Terry asked Pastor Ssendi whether they had changed the account number and that’s how they arrested me from Kampala streets,” Kigozi said.
Pastor Ssendi said Kigozi’s actions have left the orphans under his care in despair.
“Mr Terry is supporting our church and some of the disadvantaged children we’re looking after and when I went to some of the Kampala internet cafes, the computer wizard Kigozi used the same computer I was using to access my email account and my password and started accessing information from Mr. Terry and also get information about our money,” he said.
“Kigozi used to call instructing us and even editing Mr. Terry’s emails, ordering us to send some of the money to his mobile number and that is how he managed to steal all that much which was supposed to look after kids and building our church,” he added.
DPC Nansana Division Bernard Katwalo said Kigozi will soon appear in court.
