Kenneth Cupu of Grace Church of Christ in Gulu West Division was found in the Church leading a team of more than 50 people in prayer, contrary to the Ministry of Health Guidelines that banned large congregations in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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ASP Jimmy Patrick Okema, the Aswa Region Police Spokesperson
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Police in Gulu on Sunday morning stormed a Church and arrested 50 believers and a pastor for conducting illegal prayerS.
Kenneth Cupu of Grace Church of Christ in Gulu West Division was found in the Church leading a team of more than 50 people in prayer, contrary to the Ministry of Health Guidelines that banned large congregations in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jimmy Patrick Okema, the Aswa River Region Police Spokesperson told URN in an interview that the police stormed the place of worship after a tip-off and found Cupu and others congregating, in total disregard of the guidelines. There was no social distancing, the crowd was bigger than what is accepted and many of the congregants had no facemasks.
Okema said they were immediately aerated, taken to Gulu Central Police Station and charged for defying COVID-19 directives and promoting a negligent act likely to spread infectious disease, contrary to public health laws.
Okema also warned other places of worship against conducting illegal prayers saying the government has not yet made any formal communication about the opening of places of worship. The Churches have been closed since March, a measure taken to forestall the disease which has so far claimed 48 lives in Uganda and affected more than 4000 people.
Jesse Johnson James
Freelancer