Jones Bogonko Onchonga, a Kisii-based father of two, arrived in Lodwar posing as a Catholic priest and spent three weeks celebrating Mass, administering sacraments and earning the trust of clergy and worshippers before his identity was called into question.
According to the Catholic Diocese of Lodwar and police investigations, Onchonga performed priestly duties and was accommodated at the bishop’s official residence. He even appeared alongside Bishop John Mbinda during Mass at St Augustine Cathedral.
Onchonga had reportedly presented himself in July as a member of the Missionaries of Charity, gaining access to Catholic churches where he performed priestly duties.
The deception came to light on August 9 at St Mary’s Shrine in Lodaraja after worshippers became suspicious of his conduct during Mass. He reportedly struggled with some prayers, appeared tense and, at one point, left the altar. A photograph of him celebrating Mass was later shared on a WhatsApp group involving priests and the bishop, prompting priests to question who he was.
The Diocese later disowned Onchonga, accusing him of administering sacraments without authority, conducting unauthorised services and falsifying Church documents.
Police found that Onchonga is married with two children and had never attended a Catholic seminary or received formal training in philosophy or theology.
Instead, he is said to have taught himself Catholic liturgy using religious texts. Police reportedly recovered 17 religious texts from him.
Reports indicate that Onchonga admitted to impersonating a priest for nearly two years, including during his stay in Lodwar.
The case has raised questions among residents and civil society officials over how he gained access to Catholic institutions and was able to conduct religious services before being identified.
“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,” said Turkana Civil Society Organisations president Eliud Emeri.
Turkana resident Simon Lokol called for closer scrutiny of visiting clergy.
“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,” he said.
Dr Janerose Lokomol described the alleged impersonation as unusual compared with cases of people posing as other professionals.
“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,” she said.
Onchonga has since been arrested and charged with personation.
The Lodwar case echoes an incident in Los Angeles, where 59-year-old Erwin Mena was in February sentenced to a year in jail and fined $53,000 after posing as a priest and swindling parishioners.
According to the district attorney’s office, Mena went so far as to say Mass, hear confessions and officiate at a wedding in two Los Angeles churches. The deception began in October 2014.
The judge overseeing the case also imposed a special restriction upon Mena’s release: he was not to go anywhere near a Catholic church in Los Angeles.
The judge feared that if he did, there would be nothing stopping Mena from pretending to be a priest again, according to the Los Angeles Times.
– Additional reporting by Davin Muthoni
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