A couple and a local pastor who were dragged to police by a United States evangelical preacher and his partner over loss of Shs500m in a demon cleansing scam, have spoken out and denied any criminality.
American Bishop Hans Brabdt and his partner Ragnhild Hvistendahl accused Pastor Denis Ssenyonga of God Holy Ministry International in Mukono District, Ms Barbara Kansiime and her partner Borche Lliovski—a Macedonian—of conniving to take their Shs500m by false pretence through a demon-cleansing scam, allegations they deny.
Mukono Police Station is investigating offences of obtaining money and goods by false pretence.
Pastor Ssenyonga told Sunday Monitor that Bishop Brabdt lied to police with the intention of parcelling away Shs500m, which is part of Ms Hvistendahl’s inheritance.
“The day they withdrew the money, I was around,” Pastor Ssenyonga revealed, adding, “When they got the money, I lifted it and put it in their car; not mine. I walked away.”
The two later met at a hotel in Jinja City, where Bishop Brabdt reportedly promised to give Pastor Ssenyonga the money but didn’t. Pastor Ssenyonga alleges that Bishop Brabdt wanted to steal Ms Hvistendahl’s wealth without their knowledge.
“He is a very evil person,” Pastor Ssenyonga said.
Bishop Brabdt told this newspaper that they got to know Pastor Ssenyonga through Ms Kansiime and her partner Borche while on a pastoral visit in Macedonia. They were then convinced to visit Uganda to help orphans and also get prophecies from a local prophet (Pastor Ssenyonga).
Mr Borche disputes the account, instead saying Bishop Brabdt first wrote to him after getting his contact from a Christian organisation—The Last Reformation.
“We are travelling to every nation where the Lord has us go (sic), before we settle permanently in Uganda in a few months. If you believe we could be a help to you spread the gospel in North Macedonia? Please contact us back and we would love to come,” reads an email allegedly from Bishop Brabdt to Mr Borche.
Mr Borche said he contacted Bishop Brabdt and revealed that his wife is Ugandan and would be happy working with them on the gospel crusade in Uganda.
“He convinced us to join him in Uganda. I had never been to Uganda despite my wife being a Ugandan. We agreed to work with mine for Jesus’ gospel,” he said.
Heading to Uganda
In November 2022, Bishop Brabdt and his partner said they visited Uganda and they were welcomed by Ms Kansiime and Mr Borche, an allegation the couple denies.
Mr Borche said they arrived in Uganda on January 14, 2023, when Bishop Brabdt and his partner had already started on their crusade with a local pastor named Emmanuel Adiru at Nakasisi, Bugiri District.
Mr Borche said he and his wife joined Bishop Brabdt in Bugiri District and resided in the same compound.
“When we were in Uganda, I saw a different person (Bishop Brabdt). Everything was different. He started buying expensive things. We came to Uganda to serve the Lord, not to be like kings,” he said.
Bishop Brabdt had reportedly earlier told the couple that he was homeless before he met Ms Hvistendahl.
A few days into their stay in Bugiri, Mr Borche reportedly met Pastor Ssenyonga in person for the first time. Pastor Ssenyonga said after the meeting and prayers, Bishop Brabdt told him he should be his pastor.
It was in the meeting that Bishop Brabdt and his partner said they wanted to use part of Ms Hvistendahl’s Shs1.8 billion inheritance to establish a project.
“I advised them to invest in a boda boda loan [scheme] to be able to get income as they carry on with their projects,” he said.
Bishop Brabdt bought into the idea and even suggested Shs300m be invested in the boda boda loan project. He also wanted to buy a building at Shs1.5b in the same district, but negotiations were dragging on.
Prophecy
According to a police report, during the prayers, Pastor Ssenyonga made revelations about Bishop Brabdt and his partner’s past that shocked them. Impressed by Pastor Ssenyonga’s revelation, Bishop Brabdt reportedly put him on a Shs3m monthly retainer. The first amount is said to have hit Pastor Ssenyonga’s account in February.
Pastor Ssenyonga then allegedly told them that he would also help them formalise their Bugiri project since he had State House contacts. A meeting with a woman—Mariam Karugaba—who is said to have claimed to be President Museveni’s sister, was swiftly arranged at Kabira Country Club in Kampala.
“In February, Mariam attended the meeting with the husband, who identified himself as Jimmy Karugaba,” Mr Borche revealed, adding that while “they didn’t help” they “didn’t ask for anything and didn’t promise anything.”
Bishop Brabdt told police that it was after that when Pastor Ssenyonga reportedly revealed to them that they had a satanic death mark and they needed to get rid of it.
Ms Kansiime and Mr Borche all confirmed that Pastor Ssenyonga made the revelation to Bishop Brabdt and his partner.
Mr Borche said Ms Hvistendahl had earlier told them, including Pastor Ssenyonga, during a chat that her great grandfather was a freemason and got his wealth through satanic and unbiblical channels.
“She said it was the same wealth that was passed on to her. She even posted the same information on The Last Reformation online platforms. Prophet Denis (Ssenyonga) prayed for them and told them that ‘if you want to break the curse, you need to sacrifice part of that money’,” Mr Borche said.
Ms Hvistendahl also revealed to them that she was also at loggerheads with her brother in Norway over how to manage the inherited wealth.
Mr Borche said Pastor Ssenyonga, Bishop Brabdt and Ms Hvistendahl agreed to spend the sacrifice money on a shelter for stray dogs as a way of breaking the curse.
Shs500m withdrawal
On March 1, 2023, Bishop Hans, Ms Hvistendahl and Pastor Ssenyonga visited Stanbic Bank Jinja City where he withdrew Shs500m. Bishop Brabdt told police that he handed over the money to Pastor Ssenyonga.
Pastor Ssenyonga told Sunday Monitor he carried the money from the bank and put it in Bishop Brabdt’s vehicle as he was instructed. He added that Bishop Brabdt and partner went with the money and he also used another car to take a different route.
He claims to have met Bishop Brabdt and partner at a hotel in Jinja City a few hours later. Bishop Brabdt then allegedly promised to give Pastor Ssenyonga the money the following day, and that he honoured the promise.
A few days later, Pastor Ssenyonga allegedly told Ms Hvistendahl, in the presence of Bishop Brabdt, that he had had a vision that she should go back to Norway and solve differences with her brother.
When asked about the claim, Pastor Ssenyonga confirmed that he got a vision at night where he saw an ambulance vehicle that had rotor blades like those of a helicopter piloted by a man and it descended on to the ground.
“During the landing, the blades of the vehicle cut off the head of someone piloting it. Then I heard a voice of someone telling me: ‘my daughter, the man is stealing from her.’ He said I should tell her to go back and make peace with her brother,” he said.
He added that when he told Bishop Brabdt and Ms Hvistendahl about the vision, she was convinced it was her father in the vision.
“[Ms] Hvistendahl said her father died in a plane crash as it was in my vision. She started demanding to go back to Norway and make peace with her brother,” he said.
Agitation
He said Bishop Brabdt became agitated about it and even became so protective of his partner.
He alleged that Bishop Brabdt wanted to marry Hvistendahl so that he could benefit from her property.
“He didn’t want me to talk with the partner without him being present. He wanted me to get him a marriage certificate with [Ms] Hvistendahl. I have evidence for that. I accepted because I didn’t know his background that he was a married man in Germany,” he said, adding that Bishop Brabdt’s wife in Germany had contacted him through his social media platform.
After a few days, Bishop Brabdt caved in and let his partner return to Europe.
“They sold me their furniture and two of their vehicles before they returned to Europe. I paid him $38,000 (about Shs141m) in cash, which he put in the briefcase. I even have receipts to that effect. I drove them to the airport,” he said.
On March 10, the couple left the country.
However, Bishop Brabdt said two weeks later, the pastor contacted them revealing another prophecy. This time it was indicating that the couple’s brother-in-law was also in trouble. Bishop Brabdt said it was then that they detected that it could be a scam as the pastor allegedly pestered them for money.
“I found out that he was lying,” Bishop Brabdt said.
He said Pastor Ssenyonga then cut all contacts with the couple, an allegation he denies.
The agitated bishop sought help from his attorneys in Uganda and a criminal case was opened at Mukono Police Station.
Arrested
Pastor Ssenyonga was arrested and detained before he was released on police bond. Detectives seized his property, including two vehicles that the couple had left with Pastor Ssenyonga.
According to police, Pastor Ssenyonga presented a sales agreement in which he claimed Bishop Brabdt sold him the motor vehicles at Shs134m, and household property at Shs132m.
Pastor Ssenyonga said after failing to get Bishop Brabdt a marriage certificate, he promised to ruin his life.
“He has paid everyone to ensure my image is tainted,” he said, adding that he is using security personnel to harass him.
Kampala Metropolitan Police deputy spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire said the investigations are being done without any influence and every side has been given audience.
“The file was submitted to the state attorney and it was returned with directives to carry out more investigations on specific issues. That is what the officers are currently doing,” Mr Owoyesigyire said.
Pastor detained
Pastor Ssenyonga was arrested and detained before he was released on police bond. Detectives seized his property, including two vehicles that the couple had left with Pastor Ssenyonga.
According to police, Pastor Ssenyonga presented a sales agreement in which he claimed Bishop Brabdt sold him the motor vehicles at Shs134m, and household property at Shs132m. Pastor Ssenyonga said after failing to get Bishop Brabdt a marriage certificate, he promised to ruin his life.
