Mbale Police, DPP on the spot in mysterious disappearance of a child taken by pastor

Suspicions are mounting that the DPP and the Police are siding with the controversial pastor in a case of potential child kidnap and ritual sacrifice

MYSTERY | A child was taken from its mother by a local pastor, who claims the child had died and been buried. In a shroud of suspicions, Gerald Matembu investigates what really happened in a case that is raising fears of possible ritual sacrifice after allegations that many other babies have been lost at the same church under mysterious circumstances.

MBALE CITY | Ruth Khakayi wants to know what happened to her baby. The baby, at two weeks old, was taken by a pastor who claimed abortion, only to later say it had died and was buried.

The local church minister, Apostle Tom Billy Nkwanga of Jehovah Rapha Ministries in Nauyo, Mbale Industrial City Division, and his church say Ms Khakayi, 23, was insane.

She disputes this and a trail of events and files leave a shroud of suspicion about what really happened to the child.

The Police and the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) have come under intense scrutiny for their handling of a troubling child theft case in Mbale City.

Ms Khalayi alleges that her baby was taken by Nkwanga, who reportedly branded her "mad" to secure temporary custody after driving her away.

Despite increasing demands for answers, the church leaders maintain that the baby died and was buried, yet they have failed to provide evidence or the remains to Khalayi.

Despite repeated efforts to recover her child and the serious nature of her claims, the response from the police and the DPP has been marked by accusations of obstruction and a lack of transparency, prompting calls for a thorough review of their actions and decisions in this sensitive matter.

The lack of transparency has left Khalayi in anguish, as her requests to see her child remain unanswered.

Background

Ms Khalayi recounted her heartbreaking ordeal to the Nile Post, revealing a series of events that began with the birth of her son, whom she named Ema Yawangula, on February 28, 2023.

Struggling as a single mother after the baby's father disowned the child, Khalayi sought support from well-wishers.

his quest led her to Jehovah Rapha Ministries in Nauyo, Mbale City, guided by a supposed Good Samaritan promising assistance and prayers.

“A lady (stranger) promised that Pastor Nkwanga would give me some material support and pray for acceptance and provision by the baby's father,” she said.

Arriving at the church on March 12, 2021, Khalayi was introduced to Apostle Nkwanga, who appeared to anticipate her arrival. Following a brief encounter, her baby was taken from her for prayers, after which she never saw him again.

Despite repeated requests, Ms Khalayi was allegedly rebuffed by the pastor and eventually pressured to consent to her baby's adoption, a proposal she vehemently rejected.

“He asked me to allow him to be the father of my baby,” Khalayi said. Her claim was affirmed by the area LC1 chairperson, Hassan Wabutwa.

Alarming reports from neighbours about previous cases of child theft at the church added to ms Khalayi's distress.

“The neighbours told me that several children have been stolen from the church,” she said.

Seeking intervention from the local police (Nauyo Police Post) to recover her child proved futile, as she faced further abuse from the pastor and was directed to produce witnesses to verify the baby's return—a demand she struggled to meet.

“They (police) told me to bring my people to witness the handover of the baby as proof that indeed the pastor has returned my baby,” Khalayi recounted.

Tragically, upon Ms Khalayi's return with witness Ms Sarah Nadunga, a nurse and friend who provided her antenatal care at Bgoberal Health Centre IV in Manafwa district, the church informed them that her baby had died and been buried.

Despite Nadunga's inquiries, Ms Khalayi was not provided with any medical forms or proof of the baby's death, intensifying her despair and leaving her devastated.

Church’s response

Efforts to reach Pastor Nkwanga directly were met with resistance, as church members shielded him and interrogated visitors. Early attempts to divert the inquiry included a man posing as Nkwanga.

Eventually, Muzee Bolt, the church administrator and Nkwanga's right-hand man, stepped forward, asserting that he was the appropriate person to address inquiries.

Bolt was initially reluctant to discuss Ms Khalayi's situation with the reporter, suggesting instead that the police be contacted for details.

However, he confirmed that the church had taken custody of Ms Khalayi’s baby after she, in a distressed state, allegedly attempted to harm the child.

He claims that Khalayi disappeared mysteriously, leaving the baby behind, and the church subsequently renamed the baby Mukisa Caleb.

Sadly, Bolt explained, the baby fell ill and was admitted to Mbale Regional Referral Hospital, where he allegedly passed away.

"I immediately notified the police and the probation officer and took the child to the mortuary at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital."

A police doctor reportedly conducted a postmortem, discovering that the baby had a congenital intestinal deformity, which led to fatal complications.

“The doctor confirmed that this was a natural condition, not related to feeding or care,” Bolt said, adding that the police buried the baby in his absence.

Despite allegations that Khalayi was mistreated by the church, Bolt denied any wrongdoing on the church’s part.

Probation Officer's Account

Mbale City Probation Officer Dominic Wanzira confirmed he granted temporary custody of a one-month-old baby named Mukisa Caleb to Apostle Tom Bill Nkwanga on April 14, 2023.

His decision was based on Nkwanga’s claim that the baby had been abandoned by a mentally ill mother whose whereabouts were unknown. Wanzira noted that the mother was considered a threat to the child, having allegedly attempted to harm it.

Wanzira was informed by Nkwanga that the baby fell ill shortly after being placed in his care, was admitted to Mbale Regional Referral Hospital, and tragically died two days later.

The police then buried the baby. Like Bolt, Wanzira did not witness the burial.

Police Account

Following the incident, the police opened a Death Enquiry File (DEF 4/2023). The Elgon Region Police Spokesperson, Rogers Taitika, confirmed the unfortunate death of a one-month-old baby, Mukisa Caleb (contradicting the name Yawangula Ema provided by Khalayi).

Taitika explained that the case file had been closed by the DPP after determining that the death was due to natural causes.

He cited a postmortem examination conducted at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital on April 17, 2023, as well as a certificate of temporary custody from the Mbale City probation officer granting Pastor Wadid Bolt (not Apostle Nkwanga) possession of the baby.

Attempts to verify this with the Mbale Chief Resident State Attorney’s office were unsuccessful, as the the Nile Post was bounced back and forth for a month without resolution.

Hospital Denies Admitting ‘Mukisa Caleb’

Mr Jonas Oboth, the acting principal administrator at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital, told the Nile Post that the hospital has no record of a patient named Caleb Mukisa.

Oboth, however, added that there were two related incidents. One involved a three-month-old baby named Jeremiah Mukisa, who died on April 17, 2023 (the same date in the police report), whose body was taken by relatives without a postmortem.

The second case involved an abandoned body of a one-month-old baby found in one of the hospital wards on 10th April 2023, which was handed over to the police for further investigation.

“The nurse on duty is the one who found the child in a bag and immediately handed it over to the police,” Mr Oboth said.

Despite the tragic circumstances surrounding the death of "Mukisa Caleb," no DNA test was conducted, and the remains were not handed over to the baby’s mother, Khalayi, for burial.

Authorities have maintained that Ms Khalayi is mentally ill and currently missing, further complicating the case and raising questions about the handling of both the child's custody and the investigation.

Questions Raised

The conclusion of the case and the circumstances surrounding the baby's death and custody arrangements have left many unanswered questions.

Ms Khalayi and other stakeholders have voiced suspicions that the narrative surrounding her mental health and the baby’s death may have been manipulated to obscure a potential case of child theft.

The lack of thorough investigation into her mental state, coupled with the swift burial of the baby without the mother’s participation, has intensified accusations of possible foul play.

Manafwa District Senior Probation Officer Esther Nakayenze, who has been involved in pursuing justice for Khalayi, noted that Khalayi's mental illness was ruled out by a police surgeon in her presence, but this information was omitted from official reports.

She also highlighted flaws in the decision to grant temporary custody to the church leader.

Ms Kkakayi's family is seeking the intervention of higher authorities to enable their daughter to get justice.