Woman remanded over defrauding church of Shs700m after posing as UCC engineer
Kampala businesswoman Ritah Namalwa at Nakawa Chief Magistrate’s Court on October 3, 2024. PHOTO/JULIET KIGONGO
What you need to know:
- According to the charge sheet, the woman and others still at large stole $86,000 and Shs374 million in 4 years.
A 33-year-old woman has been charged and remanded to Luzira prison over posing as a Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) engineer, prior to defrauding a born-again church off Shs700million.
On Thursday, Kampala businesswoman Ritah Namalwa was arraigned before grade one magistrate Andrew Katurubuki at the Nakawa Chief Magistrate’s Court.
Court read to her four charges of theft, personation, forgery and uttering false documents, which she denied.
“You are hereby remanded until September 21 when you will appear before trial chief magistrate Erias Kakooza, who is currently indisposed,” Katurubuki said.
According to the charge sheet, it is alleged that Namalwa and others still at large between 2020 and 2024 in Kampala’s Nakawa Division stole $86,000 and Shs374 million, a property of Dunamis Media and Prayer Palace ministry.
In the second count, it is alleged that Namalwa and others still at large with intent to defraud, falsely represented herself as an engineer and personal assistant to the executive director of UCC whereas not.
Prosecution further states in the third count that Namalwa and others still at large forged UCC tax invoice numbers PSIN031147, CREC030263, CREC031147, CREC029672 and a UCC business card in the name of Ritah Namalwa with the title Engineer/PA to ED.
It is further alleged in the fourth count that Namalwa and others still at large knowingly and fraudulently uttered false documents to wit UCC tax invoices, receipts purporting to have been signed by the ED, UCC.
