Following allegations that pastor Denis Ssenyonga defrauded an American couple of Shs500 million in a spiritual cleaning scheme, police in Uganda is on the lookout to apprehend the culprit.
According to reports, evangelist Hans Brabdt and his wife Ragnhild Hvistendahl were informed by pastor Ssenyonga of God Holy Ministry International in Mukono District that devils were lurking over them and that they would soon have difficulties.
He then reportedly said that God had revealed to him that a sacrifice of Sh500 million would allow him to destroy the demons.
Bishop Brabdt apparently concurred and handed the pastor Sh500 million after withdrawing it from a Jinja City bank.
According to Luke Owoyesigyire, a deputy spokesperson for the Kampala Metropolitan Police, “the suspect was detained on charges of collecting money and items under false pretence.”
He continued by saying that they are still seeking his accomplices, a male Macedonian and a female Ugandan. Who are both on the run.
Pastor Ssenyonga claims that the bishop and his wife sold him their possessions, including their furniture and automobiles before they left the country.
“The suspect was detained and accused of getting money through deception. According to him, he simply purchased real estate from Bishop Brabdt and made the agreed-upon payments. Investigations are ongoing, but the suspect was released on bond yesterday, according to Owoyesigyire.
How The Couple Met The Pastor
Bishop Brabdt claims that when on a pastoral visit to Macedonia, they met Pastor Ssenyonga through Barbara Kansiime, a Ugandan, and her partner, Borche Lliovski, a Macedonian.
“They persuaded us to travel to Uganda in order to aid the orphans. They also told us about a prophet in Uganda who performs miracles and has prophetic abilities, according to Bishop Brabdt.
He claimed that when they arrived in Uganda in November 2022, Ms. Kansiime and Mr. Borche welcomed them and introduced them to Pastor Ssenyonga as a prophet.
The pastor reportedly startled the pair by disclosing their struggles and past to them.
Then, according to Mr. Owoyesigyire, “he told them that the only way to survive was to cleanse themselves by making a sacrifice of Sh500 million.” He also explained that they were under the control of a blood curse and a death mark that would make their lives difficult and eventually result in their deaths.
Fear gripping them, the couple agreed. Bishop Brabdt went to the Stanbic Bank in Jinja City on March 1, 2023, withdrew Sh500 million, and then gave Pastor Ssenyonga the money.
Days later, the pastor allegedly informed the couple that, according to a new prophecy, they should leave Uganda as soon as possible because they were not safe there.
A second prophecy, this one indicating that the couple’s brother-in-law was also in peril, was revealed to them by the pastor two weeks later when he got in touch with them. When the pastor began hounding them for cash, Bishop Brabdt realised that it might be a hoax.
Bishop Brabdt declared, “I discovered that he was lying. Then, according to reports, Pastor Ssenyonga severed all ties with the bishop.