The Fake Priest Who Fooled Lodwar

Jones Bogonko Onchonga, who posed as Catholic Priest in Lodwar for four weeks. [ Bakari Ang'ela-Standard]

For nearly three weeks, Jones Bogonko Onchonga roamed Lodwar dressed as a  Catholic priest, celebrating Mass, engaging with clergy, and presenting himself as a member of the Missionaries of Charity.

According to reports from the Catholic Diocese of Lodwar, Onchonga was welcomed by the clergy and even accommodated at the Bishop's official residence.

He later appeared alongside Bishop John Mbinda during Mass at St Augustine Cathedral before conducting services at other Catholic churches.

To ordinary worshippers, he looked, sounded, and behaved like a real priest.

But beneath the clerical attire was a man who, according to police investigations and Church authorities, had never been ordained as a Catholic priest.

The deception began to unravel on August 9 at St Mary's Shrine in Lodaraja.

Worshippers reportedly noticed that something was amiss.

Onchonga allegedly struggled with some prayers, appeared tense, and at one point, left the altar during the service.

A photograph of him celebrating Mass was later circulated on a WhatsApp group that included priests and the bishop, raising questions about his true identity.

The revelation shocked the local Catholic community.

For Eliud Emeri, president of the Civil Society Organisations in Turkana, the incident raises serious questions about verification within religious institutions.

“How does someone forge his way into a holy Church and remain there for three weeks without being identified? He went so far as to lead Mass and administer the sacraments. If someone is not a priest, that is a serious matter, and the Church must ask itself how such a breach was permitted,” Emeri said.

His concern extends beyond Onchonga to include the safeguards used to verify clergy before they are permitted to perform religious duties.

The case has also prompted calls for a more stringent identification system for visiting priests.

Turkana resident Simon Lokol suggested the Church should treat the incident as a warning and bolster its scrutiny of clergy operating within its institutions.

“The Church must be more vigilant. Every priest entering the Church should be properly scrutinised and verified. Fake priests must be identified and removed from the house of God before they can deceive worshippers,” said Lokol.

Dr Janerose Lokomol remarked that the case was unusual compared to other impersonation incidents in society.

She mentioned having come across reports of individuals pretending to be teachers, lawyers, and professionals in other fields.

However, the alleged impersonation of a Catholic priest was particularly troubling because of the sacred responsibilities involved.

“We have seen cases of fake teachers, fake lawyers, and people impersonating professionals, but this case of a fake priest is unique. I have never encountered anything like this, where someone enters a place of worship and performs religious duties as if truly ordained,” Lokomol stated.

She added that economic hardship might push some individuals towards criminal behaviour, though the exact motive in Onchonga's case remains unclear.

“Economic difficulties may be driving some to desperate acts, but we must also respect places of worship. The Church is a sacred space, and it should not be exploited for deception,” she said.

On August 16, the Diocese of Lodwar formally disowned Onchonga.

The Church accused him of claiming to administer sacraments, conducting unauthorised services, usurping ecclesiastical office, and falsifying Church documents.

Police investigations reportedly established that Onchonga is a married man with two children residing in Kisii.

Investigators also found that he had never attended a Catholic seminary nor received formal training in philosophy or theology.

Instead, he is said to have taught himself Catholic liturgy using religious texts.

Seventeen religious texts were reportedly recovered from his possession.

According to reports, Onchonga admitted to impersonating a priest for nearly two years.

This admission complicates the Lodwar episode further.

If his impersonation lasted that long, the key issue isn’t simply how he fooled worshipers for three weeks, but how he managed to sustain the identity of a priest for such an extended period without detection.

Onchonga was arrested and charged with personalization under Section 382 of the Penal Code.

He initially pleaded guilty but later changed his plea to not guilty before another magistrate.