A Ugandan parent has used his children to con a US-based Bishop and other religious organisations of thousands of dollars in a sophisticated fees racket.

The scam was discovered recently when the Rt. Rev. David B. Reed, the retired Bishop of Kentucky, asked an American cleric in Uganda to visit and send photographs of the purported five orphans he was sponsoring at Seeta Boarding School. Reed also asked for a picture of the US $4,500 house he was buying for the orphans near Kampala.

But Sunday Vision has discovered that the children (names withheld) are not orphaned. Their father is said to be a one Ssendagire, a businessman in the city. It is believed the same Ssendagire is the holder of e-mail address: schchhopf@infocom.co.ug, which he used to communicate with his unsuspecting victim. The purported e-mail belonged to Seeta Boarding School, a sham school. The fraud was orchestrated through Ssendagire's eldest daughter now aged 16 years and a senior four student in a posh girls' boarding secondary school near Kampala. The girl, in a language depicting her as a devoted Christian, last year wrote a heart-rending letter to Reed narrating how her parents and relatives were massacred by soldiers in a raid on their village "during the recent government takeover." "Dear Christian friend, I am very happy to have this chance to write to you this letter telling you my problems," the opening paragraph of the letter read. "Although I am very far away and at the same time you do not know me, I am sure through the Lord Jesus Christ you will sympathise with me," she wrote giving her age as 13 and postal address as P.O. Box 6630 Kampala. A recommendation purportedly written by a Rev. James Matovu of St. Peter Catholic Church P.O. Box 4952 Kampala was also sent to Reed. The recommendation detailed how desperate the five children were. "Matovu" also enumerated how the children took refuge at the church when they returned from school to find their parents killed.

Letters in poor grammar with spelling mistakes allegedly written by Mr. J. Ssempijja, the headmaster of Seeta Boarding School were also attached to support the claims. The school said the fees for each of the five pupils was US $750 (sh1.35m) per year and was paid once.

The racketeers advised Reed to send the fees to the school account at Chase Manhattan Bank N.A, One Chase Manhattan Plaza New York, N.Y 10081 USA for 001-1-392685 Bank of Baroda Account 901/Abdu-S/Seta School, Kampala Uganda. They also wrote that the money could be wired through the American Express Bank Ltd, 7 World Trade Centre New York, NY 10048 Telex 3715559 Swift AE 1 BUS 33 to Account Number 00741116 Bank of Baroda Kampala - money to beneficiary account - 901 - Abdu - S - Setta.

On November 7, 2000, Reed sent money to cover the fees and a cheque of US $289 (sh520,000) personally payable to the girl. The cheque was cleared through the Development Finance Company of Uganda (DFCU) and not Bank of Baroda. In January this year the prelate sent another US $1,000 (sh1.8m) for which a receipt purportedly from the school acknowledging payment was issued and a copy sent to him.

In February 2001 Reed made another cheque of US $400 (sh720,000) payable to the school through the Chase Manhattan Bank. He also sent another US $1,000 as fees deposit. Whenever any money was sent, both "the headmaster" and the girl would write congratulatory letters to Reed.

Although there are several schools in Seeta, nobody knows Seeta Boarding School. However, there is Seeta Boarding Primary School P.O. Box 3710 and not P.O. Box 4952 or 10068, the postal addresses alternately used by the racketeers.

Incidentally, the headmaster Seeta Boarding Primary School is called Mr. Jocky Ssempijja. Ssempijja admitted knowing the said pupils but expressed anger at his name being used for fraudulent activities. He said he had twice sought to meet Ssendagire over the issue but that he never showed up. He said the school does not receive school fees in dollars and that they do not have any account with Chase Manhattan Bank. The irate Ssempijja said he was shocked last term when officials from the Good Samaritan Ministries rang the school saying they were bringing fees for the girl and a ceremony should be organised, an idea he rejected because the girl was not his pupil.

In a February 26, 2001 letter, Bettie P. Mitchell, the international executive director of Good Samaritan Ministries wrote to the school promising to send US $1,000 for fees by March 18 and the balance a month later. With the "fees" secured, the racketeers purporting to be Mr. Ssempijja on March 27, 2001 wrote to Reed advising him to buy a house for the "orphans" as they had no accommodation during holidays. They said government regulations do not allow pupils at school during vacations.

In reply, Reed asked him to identify a house. Ssempijja wrote back saying he had got a property 10 kilometres away from the school at US $4,550 (sh8.2m). "The house is in good condition with water and electricity and better still, it has a garden with ready food which (the children) can use for home consumption," he wrote.

He alleged the house was being sold cheaply because the owner, Princess Nalinya Nakabiri, of P.O. Box 4952 was down with cancer and urgently wanted the money for treatment. Reed agreed to pay for the property in two installments of US $2,000 and US $2500 later.

Not to miss the chance, "Ssempijja" paid the first installment from "school funds" which Reed reimbursed later. A copy of the sale agreement purportedly drawn by M/s Muwanga and Co. Advocates of 4th Floor Diamond Trust Building P.O. Box 6169 was sent to Reed. The property was described as land situated at Kawempe, Mengo district, Kyadondo County, Block 500 Plot 3209. The registrar's signature on the copy of the title appears forged. Ironically P.O. Box 4952 Kampala which was put as the postal address for the seller is also the same address used on the headed papers for Seeta Boarding School and also doubles as the address for St. Peter Catholic Church, a non-existent church in Kampala.

The holder of the address is instead a certain S. Sentongo of Central Village, Kisenyi, according to investigations by Sunday Vision. Records at the Catholic Secretariat also indicate that there is no known Catholic priest in Uganda with the name Rev. James Matovu. There is also no law firm on Diamond Trust in the name of M/s Muwanga and Co. Advocates. The Uganda Law Society also has no records of such a firm. The postal address indicated as belonging to the law firm is instead in the name of Uganda Litho Colour Printers, Natete Mutundwe. Postal Box 10068 Kampala used on one of the "school headed papers" is in the name of Sirajje Kasekende of William Village Nakasero. The address is also the same one supplied to Infocom by the holder of e-mail address schchhopf@infocom.co.ug. P.O. Box 6630, which the girl used when writing the begging letters, is in the name of Green Tea Packers, Nakivubo Mews.