Kampala, Uganda
Police in Uganda have charged a self-styled prophet who allegedly flogged his flock for failing to listen to his directives.
Denis Kintu was arrested on Wednesday after a video allegedly showing him flogging his flock at the Empowerment City Church in Hoima went viral on social media.
On Thursday, police charged Kintu with 17 counts including assault, trafficking in persons and promoting sectarianism. According to Section 228 of Uganda’s Panel Code, assault can land a convict a prison sentence of up to five years while the 2009 anti-trafficking act prescribes punishments of up to 15 years’ imprisonment for offences involving adult victims and life imprisonment for cases involving children.
Police said in a statement that Kintu was summoned by the Hoima city security committee led by Resident City Commissioner, Badru Mugabi, for interrogation after the video surfaced.
“Upon interrogation, he told the committee that what he did was only a demonstration of how Jesus treated those he found selling goods in church,” the statement read. It also said the committee had “established that his Church was operating illegally without clear documents from the City or Uganda Registration Standards Bureau.”
Police said the committee later decided to arrest Kintu and four other members of his church identified as James Mugisha, Stella Mbabazi, Twaha Tusiime and Bila Nsiimwe.
