It is alleged that Nanangwe collected the offertory from the first service on that fateful day and thereafter swapped the bag containing money with an empty replica of the church bag. But a vigilant church member saw her and raised a red flag, resulting in her arrest.
A 24-year-old woman has been sentenced to a fine of 250,000 Shillings on her own guilty plea for stealing offertory from Watoto Church. The Woman identified as Judith Nanangwe pleaded guilty to charges of theft, for allegedly stealing an offertory bag containing 643,000 Shillings from Watoto Church Ntinda on March 1, 2020.
It is alleged that Nanangwe collected the offertory from the first service on that fateful day and thereafter swapped the bag containing money with an empty replica of the church bag. But a vigilant church member saw her and raised a red flag, resulting in her arrest.
In the aftermath, Nanangwe, a a resident of Koob Road in Seeta-Mukono District was found with several offertory-bags from various churches, an indicator that she probably wasn’t stealing for the first time. Watoto Church members reflected that offertory bags have been disappearing after collections, even though no case was ever reported to the police.
Last week, Nanangwe, who has been in Luzira with a one-month-old baby, pleaded guilty to theft before the City Hall Court in Kampala. Grade One Magistrate Valerian Tuhimbise said that the manner in which she stole the offertory was regrettable, because unlike other people who go to church to repent, she went there to engage in a sinful activity.
The trial Magistrate also observed that Nanangwe has a child, implying that he had to strike a balance in the best interest of the child and the State. On the basis of this, he sentenced her to pay a fine of 250,000 Shillings, failure of which, she would be jailed for five months. He added that the convict deserves rehabilitation and not punishment.
The State Prosecutor Viola Tusingwire also told the court that the convict is a first time offender who pleaded guilty without wasting the courts time.
On August 11, 2019, St Augustine Chaplaincy at Makerere University released video footage showing someone stealing their offertory and church equipment.
Later Father Josephat Ddungu the Chaplain told Journalists that the thief had taken off with an unspecified amount of money where the offertory meant for Radio Maria is kept and extension cables among others.
Story by Kukunda Judith
