Convicted Soroti Prophet, Followers Accused of Struggling to Portray Catholics As Bad People, Satanic, Cultists

A Soroti-based prophet recently convicted for unlawful possession of government stores, along with a section of his church members, has continued to stir controversy through their aggressive condemnation of the Catholic Church.

According to reports by both New Vision and Daily Monitor, the Grade One Magistrate’s Court in Tororo, on May 21, 2025, convicted Prophet Gorwell Emanu, the senior pastor of Miraculous Synagogue Ministries in Soroti, for illegal possession of government property.

Magistrate David Wanda ruled that the prosecution had proven beyond reasonable doubt that he was in unlawful possession of government-issued items and sentenced him to 36 months in prison or a fine of Shs 900,000.

The prosecution revealed that the Prophet had been found in possession of 16 rounds of ammunition, in addition to 15 rounds he had legally obtained.

However, the court acquitted him of a separate charge of illegal firearm possession due to lack of sufficient evidence that a pistol had been recovered.

Initially facing a harsher sentence of five years in prison or a fine of Shs 6 million, the court reduced his punishment after he pleaded for leniency, citing deteriorating health during his remand.

He claimed his condition had worsened to the extent that he could no longer wear closed shoes.

The charges stemmed from a joint operation conducted on November 16, 2023, by the Uganda Police and the Uganda Wildlife Authority at his home in Oriyoi “A” Village along the Tororo-Malaba Highway in Morukatipe Sub-county, Tororo District.

Authorities reportedly recovered 31 rounds of ammunition, a pistol, and teargas canisters during the search. The operation was prompted by his failure to respond to an earlier police summons.

Despite these legal troubles, the Prophet continues to use his pulpit to lash out at the Catholic Church, portraying it in an extremely negative light.

He together with some of his followers have repeatedly accused Catholics of worshipping Mary, labeling the Church as satanic and its members as cultists.

“As a concerned Catholics, we call upon this Prophet and his fellow preachers who devote large portions of their church services to attacking Catholics, to instead focus on preaching love, unity, and true Christian values.”

Christianity should be about living out the Gospel, countering secularism, and promoting respect for human dignity, not vilifying fellow believers.

He seems particularly agitated by the widespread presence and influence of the Catholic Church.

On numerous occasions, I’ve seen him on social media hosting speakers who peddle misinformation about Catholic practices.

It is as if their sense of salvation depends on how intensely they can criticize Catholic doctrine and traditions.

One wonders why certain pastors are obsessed with maligning the Catholic Church rather than spreading the Good News. The Catholic Church is often criticized for its reverence toward the Virgin Mary.

Yet Catholics do not worship Mary, we honor her, just as God did, and as the Angel Gabriel did at the Annunciation. If someone accuses you of worshipping Mary, respond confidently with the “Hail Mary” prayer. There’s no shame in honoring the Mother of God.

Another recurring accusation is that Catholics do not know or follow the Bible. In contrast, Catholics understand the Bible as the inspired word of God written through human hands.

Before the Bible was compiled, the Church was already alive and thriving.

The very canon of the Bible was formalized by the Catholic Church through councils and synods, beginning with the Council of Rome in A.D. 382.

The Bible, including the New Testament, was not completed until decades after Christ’s death.

Church history reveals that the term Biblia (“the books”) was first used collectively for both Old and New Testaments by John Chrysostom around A.D. 386–388. The first complete printed Bible, the Gutenberg Bible, was produced by a Catholic in 1455.

To attack the Catholic Church for “not knowing the Bible” is to ignore this historical foundation. It is illogical to claim deeper scriptural insight than the early Church Fathers, Clement, Ignatius, Polycarp, who lived among the Apostles and preserved the faith.

True Christianity should not be measured by how harshly one condemns others, but by how much fruit one bears while rooted in Christ.

Tragically, some Christians define their faith by their hostility toward other denominations or religions, forgetting the Gospel’s call to love all people.

It is time we unite to address real challenges, poverty, disease, violence, rather than engage in spiritual warfare against one another.

Be kind to your neighbor, whether they are Muslim, Buddhist, or even pagan. Seeing others as brothers and sisters instead of enemies is what will move humanity forward.

Catholics do not gather to follow a charismatic preacher or a self-proclaimed prophet. We come to church to commune with Jesus, whose real presence we believe is in the Eucharist.

To our “born-again” brothers and sisters: expressing love for Christ does not require hostility toward others. Show your love by your good works, as Paul and Barnabas did. Let the world see Christ in your compassion, not just your words.

Tertullian, a 2nd-century apologist, once wrote that pagans should be able to say of Christians, “See how they love one another, and how they are ready to die for each other.”

That is the kind of witness we are called to give, not one of division and condemnation, but of love and unity.