A head teacher and wife of an embattled freelance journalist has been detained by police due to her alleged involvement in tarnishing the reputation of a former contender to replace outgoing West Buganda Diocesan Anglican Bishop Henry Katumba Tamale.
Cossy Nakagwa, head teacher at St. Clement Primary School in Ntuusi, Sembabule, was arrested on Monday. She is the wife of Jonan Jjumba Bangirana, a freelance journalist from Sembabule who has previously been detained over similar allegations.
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Clerical politics had placed Nakagwa on the police’s wanted list in connection with allegations that she and her husband conspired to defame a senior priest involved in the recent race to become the new West Buganda Diocesan Bishop.
Preliminary investigations indicate that Nakagwa, her husband, and others connived to produce a letter written by Naome Namakula.
The letter, dated January 20, 2025, alleged that Namakula had a child with the senior priest, who later neglected the child, resulting in its death in 2016.
Namakula has since denied writing the letter, disowned the priest mentioned, and rejected the phone number listed in the document, which is registered under the name John Mugume.
Southern Regional Police Spokesperson Mr. Twaha Kasirye confirmed Nakagwa’s arrest, stating that she is being held at Sembabule Central Police Station.
He added that she would soon be brought before the courts after receiving guidance from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) on the appropriate charges.
On Tuesday, Nakagwa appeared before Sembabule Grade One Magistrate Raymond Jjagwe, who charged her with public nuisance and remanded her to Sembabule Prison, from where she will appear again on Wednesday for a bail hearing.
His husband, Jjumba, had previously been arrested and charged with public nuisance in relation to the same allegations but was granted bail on health grounds last week.
The priest, who was a contender in the race ultimately won by Rev. Canon Gaster Nsereko, is accused of being the subject of the letter that sparked controversy.
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