A man accused of posing as a Catholic priest in Lodwar has been charged afresh over allegations that he forged an ordination certificate purportedly issued by a Catholic diocese in Tanzania.
Jones Onchongo was charged with forgery contrary to Section 351 of the Penal Code over an alleged fake certificate of ordination at the Catholic Diocese of Lodwar on August 12, 2026.
The prosecution told the court that Onchongo forged a certificate purportedly issued by the Diocese of Morogoro in Tanzania to Fr Joseph Ebenyo Muhame. He was also charged with uttering a false document, with the prosecution alleging that he knowingly and fraudulently presented the certificate as a genuine document issued by the Tanzanian diocese, yet it was fake.
The fresh charges come after Onchongo was earlier charged with personation contrary to Section 382 of the Penal Code. He is accused of misleading Bishop John Mbinda and the leadership of the Catholic Diocese of Lodwar between July 31 and August 12, 2026, into believing that he was an ordained Catholic priest.
According to the prosecution, Onchongo allegedly used the false identity to gain the trust of the church leadership and was allowed to conduct church meetings within the diocese. He denied the charges before Hon. Evanson Nginji and was released on a cash bail of Sh100,000.
The case will be mentioned on December 17, 2026.
