Police in Kampala have arrested a 36-year-old man who targeted churches by faking the death of his daughter to get condolence money.
Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, Superintendent of Police Racheal Kawala said David Ashabahebwa, a resident of Nsambya Kirombe zone, Makindye division in Kampala was arrested on Sunday after asking for condolence money while at St.Stephen Church of Uganda in Nsambya and one his victims identified him as a conman.
“It is alleged that he moves to different churches and obtains money by pretending that he has lost a nine-year-old daughter. On the fateful day, towards the end of the service, he informed the reverend and the church congregation that he had lost his nine-year-old daughter but while at the church, he was identified by another reverend from Gayaza who had attended church that day,” Kawala said.
The Kampala Metropolitan police spokesperson said the reverend from Gayaza narrated to the congregants that the suspect had earlier used a similar trick to get money from their church.
“We have opened up a case of obtaining money by false pretence as investigations continue but preliminary investigations indicate the aim of his pretence is to get money in form of condolences from the public,”Kawala said.
The suspect is currently being detained at Kabalagala Police Station.
The case points to the cunning ways some members of the public use to get money.
