SEX slavery, extortions, fraud and manipulation are turning into common practice within leading Pentecostal churches in Uganda. A prominent pastor has claimed.

At least 300 believers have so far come up to accuse born again pastors of such crimes. The growing list is being compiled by a prominent pastor, Solomon Male and Lawyer John Kaggwa.

"I have so far received more than 300 complaints and lawyer Kaggwa and I are opening cases to bring these 'big men and women of God' to justice" Said Pastor Male.

Pastor Male runs a Christian counselling organisation-Arising for Christ.

Military and Government connections

He said that many pastors even have military escorts whom they use for protection and intimidation.

"Many of them are high level crooks in one way or the other, they enjoy army protection, they are highly connected and can kill to cover up their sins," Pastor Male told Sunday Monitor in an Interview.

But the army denies knowledge of such escorts: "Whoever is doing it does so on individual basis and it must stop immediately," Army and Defence spokesman Major Felix Kulayigye said.

Sex slavery

Among the many sexual assault cases is that of a 23 year old girl with initials A.K, who accused one Pastor in Mengo (names withheld) of sexually exploiting unemployed young girls.

"He convinced our parents that he would get us employed and he kept us in a hotel in Mengo where he would pick one of us, take her in a nice restaurant and demand sex after. When I refused he beat me up badly" the girl narrated in tears.

A former interpreter of a pastor accuses him of impregnating more than 10 girls in his church in Kawaala.

"He exploits girls who are desperate. Calls them for special prayers in his bedroom and forces them into sex" Richard Nsubuga explained.

He said that when he tried to expose him, the Pastor got him jailed and tortured for several days at Old Kampala Police station. He was released after the intervention of Pastor Male.

Nsubuga showed Sunday Monitor wounds and bruises which he claimed were inflicted on him during his detention.

Manipulation

Mr. David Nsubuga of Bombo accuses his Pastor of and another church official (both names withheld) of taking his pick up truck by false pretence.

"They told me that if i offered them my Pick Up reg. No. 209 UAN I would get blessed six times and in six months with a Pajero. It is now seven years and my car is no where to be seen" said Nsubuga.

Soon after Pastor Male picked up Nsubuga's story a UPDF lieutenant in military uniform came to his office and "tried to intimidate me into leaving this case but we are not shaken.