Sheikh Mohammed Mutumba, the Imam of Kyampisi Masjid Noor mosque in Kayunga District of Uganda, has been suspended from his clerical work after unknowingly wedding a fellow man in Islamic culture (Nikah).
Sheikh Isa Busuulwa, the head Imam of Masjid Noor of Kyampisi, said the move was intended to preserve the integrity of their faith.
“He has been one of the three Imams of the mosque. He had spent about four years preaching in this mosque on top of teaching Islam to children,” Sheikh Busuulwa was quoted as saying by the Daily Monitor newspaper.
Sheikh Mutumba was shocked to discover some two weeks into his marriage that his hijab-wearing wife Swabullah Nabukeera was a man named Richard Tumushabe, the newspaper reports.
The discovery was made after police arrested Tumushabe on suspicion of stealing a television set and clothes from a neighbour at his new marital home, it adds.
“As the police’s normal practice, a female police officer, searched the suspect thoroughly before taking ‘her’ to the cells. However, to the shock of the officer, the suspect had stacked clothes in the bra to hoodwink that they were breasts,” Mr Mugera was quoted as saying.
Sheikh Mutumba had not had sex with his “bride” because “she” alleged that “she” was menstruating, the newspaper reports.
“We have already charged him with impersonation, theft and obtaining goods by false pretence,” Mr Mugera was quoted as saying.
The Daily Monitor reports that Sheikh Abdul Noor Kakande, the regional kadhi (Muslim judge), said the incident was unfortunate, and the imam was being investigated.
