By Jesse Johnson James
Police in Gulu on Tuesday evening arrested a man for impersonating a pastor.
Stephen Omaro –Rwot thought to be in his 30’s is said to have been masquerading as a pastor of Zion Healing and Restoration Ministries, Gulu Branch.
He was netted by police near Centenary Bank in Gulu at around 5 pm after a man he was soliciting money from tipped off police.
Dickens Akena, a resident of Pece in Gulu East Division told our reporter in an interview that Omaro –Rwot started to solicit money from him last month when he promised to pray for his younger who he claims is possessed by evil spirits.
According to Akena, he became suspicious that Omaro –Rwot is a false pastor when he [Omaro –Rwot] began demanding for money from him frequently but without praying for his brother. By that time Akena says he had given Omaro- Rwot 215,000 shilling.
“I have been sending him money totalling to almost 215,000 shillings before I realized that he is not a pastor of Zion Healing and Restoration Ministry. He used to call me demanding money,’’ said Akena
“He went and saw my brother and promised to pray for him, but I realized that he is not a pastor. When I started coordinating with other people, I found the real pastor of Zion and later on, we plotted for his arrest.” Akena added
Sam Lawino, the Resident Pastor of Zion Healing and Restoration Ministries Gulu Branch revealed that Omaro –rwot is not a pastor and that his Ministry learnt with shock that Omaro –rwot had been soliciting money from people in exchange with prayers.
“This gentleman is not a member of Zion, not even a pastor at Zion, so we learnt that he has been getting a lot of money from people in exchange for prayers. Prayer is free because God says, ‘I give you freely and you must also give them freely,’ said Pastor Lawino
John Bosco Nyangkol, the Officer In –Charge of Gulu Central Police Station confirmed the arrest and said police is carrying out investigation on the matter.
