Daijiworld Media Network - Kampala - (SHP)

Kampala (Uganda), Jan 16: Sheikh Mohammed Mutumba, a 27-year-old Ugandan imam has been suspended after discovering his new wife was a man. Mutumba found out the truth when his bride was caught stealing a TV from a neighbour and was searched by police.

In local Ugandan news, the thief admitted to pretending to be a woman so that he could marry the imam and steal his money. Meanwhile, the victim of the deception imam Mutumba has been suspended from his duties as a cleric at the Kyampisi Masjid Noor mosque while an investigation is carried out.

On questions regarding the 'wife', Mutumba claimed that he was not intimate with the accused as the latter stated that she was menstruating.

Mutumba said he thought he was marrying a woman called Swabullah Nabukeera in traditional Islamic ceremony held in December. Her true identity was exposed when she was arrested for the theft of a television set and clothes from his next-door neighbours.

A female police officer carried out a body search on the suspect, thinking she was a woman but was flabbergasted when the officer found that Nabukeera was a man.

Mutumba is said to be 'too devastated' to talk about the incident and needs counselling. Friends and colleagues said they were also fooled by the imposter, who usually wore a hijab.

Amisi Kibunga, who also works at the mosque, said: 'He had a sweet soft voice and walked like a woman.'

Kibunga also revealed that Mutumba had complained four days after the wedding that his new bride refused 'to undress while they slept.'

The suspect later told police his real name was Richard Tumushabe and he admitted he married Mutumba in a bid to steal the cleric's money.

The incident has resulted in Mutumba getting suspended by the mosque officials despite confirming that he had entered the marriage thinking Nabukeera was a woman.

The mosque's head imam, Sheikh Isa Busuulwa, said the suspension was necessary to 'preserve the integrity of their faith,' even though Mutumba worked at the Mosque for four years and was one of its three imams.