KAMPALA – In a coordinated operation, a trio of fraudsters was apprehended after attempting to extort a Jinja-based pastor by impersonating officers from the State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SH-ACU).
The arrest of Kintu Aggrey (alias Werage Kenneth), Isiko Moses (alias Isabirye Moses), and Nuwagira Herman is the result of a joint effort by the state house anti corruption unit,the Criminal Investigations Directorate and the Internal Security Organisation (ISO).
Addressing the press at the Unit's offices, the Deputy Head of state house anti corruption unit detailed the elaborate scheme. The suspects allegedly targeted Pastor David Fredrick Isanga of the Universal Apostles Fellowship Church of Righteousness in Jinja, falsely claiming to be state house anti corruption unit investigators.
“The fraudsters lied to the pastor that he was under investigation for dealing in fake US dollars. They demanded 20 million shillings to close the fictitious case," the official stated.
The extortion plot unfolded between September and October 2025. The suspects repeatedly summoned the pastor, who initially sent a delegation comprising a church elder, Dr. Michael Kyakula, and the church's lawyer, Isabirye Derrick, to meet the impersonators. The meeting took place at Nommo Gallery in Nakasero, where the fraudsters reiterated their financial demands.
The scheme escalated on October 7, 2025, when the suspects sent a forged official summons, compelling the pastor to appear at the state house anti corruption unit offices in the Kingdom Kampala Building for interrogation concerning a "Black Dollar scam."
However, the plot had already been uncovered. "Fortunately, state house anti corruption unit was tipped off by our sister agency, ISO," the Deputy Head confirmed. The Pastor was then advised to play along with the fake summons.
In a carefully executed sting operation, the pastor proceeded to the designated meeting point at Kingdom Kampala Building. As the fraudsters repeated their demands, they were swiftly arrested by waiting security operatives. A search of the suspects led to the recovery of a copy of the forged summons, a key piece of evidence.
Investigations are ongoing, and the suspects will be charged with forgery, uttering false documents, and impersonation of public officials.
Mr. Ochwo of state house anti corruption unit thanked Pastor Isanga and his team for their vigilance, which prevented them from becoming victims. He urged the public to be cautious of such sophisticated scams.
"The public is advised to remain cautious of such fraudsters and to report any suspicious activities to the relevant authorities," he said, providing state house anti corruption unit toll-free line for reporting: 0800202500.
The church’s lawyer, Isabirye Derrick, expressed his gratitude for the unit's swift action. "We are thankful to state house anti corruption unit for their swift response in arresting these suspects, who were attempting to defraud my client of a substantial amount of money, approximately 130 million shillings," he stated, revealing that the initial 20 million demand was part of a larger intended extortion.
