Gulu Chief Magistrates Court on Friday sentenced a pastor to five years in jail for assault and threatening violence against two American nationals.
Court presided by Chief Magistrate Deogratious John Ssejjemba convicted and sentenced Benjamin Oteka, 35, to five years in jail on two counts of threatening violence and assault.
Oteka is one of the senior pastors at Faith Centre Cathedral located in Layibi division in Gulu municipality.
Oteka is alleged to have assaulted Carole Ward, his estranged wife and another American woman identified only as Lisa.
Prosecution led by William Bayo alleges that on August 9, 2013 while at Acholi Inn hotel in Gulu town, Oteka threatened to harm Ward, 53 and assaulted another American national identified only as Lisa.
Ward reported the threat and assault at Gulu Central police.
Chief Magistrate Ssejjemba ruled that there was overwhelming evidence produced by prosecution to pin Oteka. Ssejjemba accordingly ordered Pastor Oteka to serve a 2 and half year-jail term for the first offence and another 2 and half jail term for the second count.
The Magistrate ruled that the sentences should run concurrently.
Oteka’s lawyer Dalton Charles Opwonya described the sentence as harsh adding that they will appeal against both the conviction and the sentence.
Oteka is also battling another case in which he is alleged to have stolen millions of shillings from Ward, his ex-lover.
According to police records, Ward dragged Oteka before the anti-corruption court for allegedly embezzling over US$ 100,000 (around UGX 353.6M).
Ward accused Oteka of embezzling the fund meant for Favor of God Ministries, a local NGO which supports orphan and vulnerable children in northern Uganda.
Troubled started for Pastor Oteka in 2013 when Ward alleged that he (Oteka) stole US$ 104,000.
Oteka was arrested and detained at Gulu Central Police Station before he was released on bond.
The embattled Pastor later appeared in Kampala before anti-corruption court.
Oteka is also facing an additional charge of misuse of tractor Reg. No. KBN 318 J.
The marriage between Oteka and Ward hit the rocks when Ward accused Oteka him of infidelity.
The couple have filed for divorce before the high court in Gulu.
Oteka is former Director of an NGO he co-founded with Ward before he was dropped after their marriage which lasted less than four years turned sour.
Oteka is also the founder and CEO at Save Africa Mission, a faith based organization based in Gulu.
2 Comments
Oteka twon choo kikome!! To hel with otara. A mere utterance of threat could have been after a drink or two at Acholi INN and I doubt it one’s word against another. In Acholi threat is normal -“ka i tuku ci ibineno”
“Cara ma ka oneno bulu kome bedo ni te te” to quote Otim Alpha song/youtube video “Woda”. Subtract 20 years from each and this woman would have arrested for being a pedophile. This young man have had it with the “OLDER” I assume white woman. ODE KEKEN I NYAMO KWE.We should understand that the brother was under cultural pressure – onyomo dako ma “kwach omayo iye”, ORUTA, CARA MA etc. Is she was doing God’s work why was she a whoring after a younger man?