Headline: Ugandan Catholic Priest Charged with Laundering 500 Million Shillings
A Catholic priest in the Masaka region has been formally charged with money laundering in a high-value financial crime case, according to police documents obtained.
Reverend Father Deus Ssekabira, 47, faces a single count of Money Laundering contrary to the Anti-Money Laundering Act. The charge sheet, filed at Masaka Central Police Station under case number CRB 672/2025, outlines serious allegations against the cleric, who resides at Bumangi Catholic Parish in Kalangala District.
Prosecutors allege that between 2023 and 2025, Fr. Ssekabira, “and others still at large,” intentionally concealed or disguised the true ownership of 500,000,000 Ugandan Shillings (approximately UGX 500 million). The funds were allegedly processed through the Centenary Bank, Masaka Branch.
The specific sections of the law cited—Sections 3(b), 119, and 139(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering Act—pertain to concealing the nature, source, or movement of proceeds of crime. The charge sheet states the accused knew or suspected the money to be “proceeds of crime.”
The arrest and charging of a religious figure have drawn significant attention in the local community. Fr. Ssekabira’s role as a priest and his residence in the Sesse islands add a notable dimension to the case, which authorities are treating as a major financial crime investigation.
The police have indicated that the investigation is ongoing, with efforts to apprehend the other individuals implicated who remain at large. The case highlights continued scrutiny by Ugandan authorities on financial transactions and enforcement of anti-money laundering regulations.
Fr. Ssekabira is expected to be produced before a magistrate for a mention of the charges. The court will determine bail applications and set dates for the commencement of the trial.
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