KABAROLE – Six members of the SDA Church have appeared before court on allegations of beating up their leader.
It is alleged that the six including Mr. Jonathan Kihumuro, Mr. Amos Mugenyi, Mr. Joshua Kakwezi, Mr. Bob Kahebwa, Mr. Moses Mutegeki and Mr. Julius Kakwezi assaulted pastor Samuel Mwebaza, the bishop of the western Uganda Field of the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Fort Portal in his office on Moldina Street on Tuesday, March 19.
When appearing before court on Friday, March 22, the presiding Grade One magistrate, Ms. Nazifa Namayaja charged them with assault and simple robbery. She ordered them to appear in court on April 9 after being released on a non-cash bail of UGX3 million each after presenting two substantial sureties.
The suspects allegedly attacked the bishop in his office and allegedly assaulted him and vandalised his property before stealing his mobile phone.
However, before the attack, the suspects accused the bishop and his team of misappropriating Church funds, apostasy, immorality and failing Church projects such as Kabarole Adventist Secondary School and Kihembo Health Centre II.
The Kabarole Resident District Commissioner, Mr. Stephen Asiimwe, said police are still investigating the matter and that they have written to the Church authorities in Kampala to resolve the issues.
