Fake Priest Jones Bogonko Arrested After Viral Dance Videos

Jones Bogonko Onchonga from Kisii fooled the Catholic Diocese of Lodwar as a cleric until fake priest videos showing his lively steps spread and raised alarms among the people. He joined Bishop John Mbinda for Mass at St Augustine Cathedral on August 5 and then led parishes before officers arrested him in Lodwar.

He walked into Lodwar with a stack of papers that looked genuine. Church staff accepted him at once. Onchonga claimed a place among the ordained. He stood at the altar. He raised the host. He spoke the words of blessing. Local families filled the pews each Sunday.

They trusted the man in the collar. He even shared the sacred space with Bishop John Mbinda. That joint service took place at St Augustine Cathedral on August 5. The bishop offered the main prayers. Onchonga assisted without hesitation. The congregation sang. The incense rose. No one questioned him that day.

Word spread through nearby parishes. He led more services. He visited homes. He heard confessions. Yet small cracks appeared. Prayers came out jumbled. He switched the order of the rites. He added unexpected gestures during the hymns.

One parishioner later said, “I watched him move his feet in time with the music, and it felt wrong for a solemn Mass.” Another recalled that he mixed the responses and left us confused in the pews. Those moments stayed with the people.

Someone pulled out a phone. The camera rolled. The footage showed Onchonga stepping and swaying with clear joy. Those dance scenes travelled fast across phones in Lodwar and beyond. Viewers in Kisii paused the playback. They knew the face. He was a married father from their own area. He had a wife. He had children at home. The clips kept circulating. The viral reach grew by the hour.

Church leaders opened their files. They found no record of any ordination under his name. The diocese issued a clear statement. This man holds no priest’s standing. Police in Lodwar acted on the report. Officers took him into custody.

They charged him with personation. The law treats that offence as a serious false claim of identity and authority. At the first court session he entered a guilty plea. Days later he shifted his stance. He now maintains not guilty. Guards keep him inside Lodwar prison while the case moves forward.

How Did the Imposter Gain Trust in the Diocese?

He used forged documents to convince church leaders he belonged among the ordained clergy.

Those papers carried official seals and signatures that passed an early review. Staff in the Catholic Diocese of Lodwar examined them and saw no red flags. Onchonga spoke with confidence about seminary training and past assignments. He arrived ready to serve.

The bishop welcomed the extra help in a region that often faces clergy shortages. Lodwar sits in Turkana County, where distances stretch long and needs to stay high. Onchonga filled the gap. He celebrated weekday Masses. He joined Sunday gatherings. He offered counsel after services.

For a short stretch the arrangement seemed smooth. Only the later dance footage and the prayer mix-ups forced a full check of credentials. Once the documents failed verification, the entire story collapsed.

Parishioners described the shock in plain terms. One man said, “We knelt beside him for weeks and never guessed the truth.” A woman added, “The videos showed a side that did not match the quiet priest we thought we knew.” The cathedral itself carries a long history in the area.

Its walls have hosted genuine celebrations for years. On August 5 those same walls held a service led in part by a man who had no right to stand there. The contrast hit hard once the facts came out.

What Happens Next in the Court Case?

The man remains in Lodwar prison, with his next appearance set for August 31 and a full hearing planned for October.

Prosecutors prepare the full evidence of the forged papers and the public services he conducted. The defence will present its own arguments. Onchonga waits behind the prison walls in the heat of Lodwar.

His family in Kisii follows the updates from a distance. Local residents still talk about the sudden fall from the altar to the cell. Some express anger at the deception. Others simply shake their heads at how long the false claim lasted.

The Catholic Diocese of Lodwar has returned to its regular roster of ordained clergy. St Augustine Cathedral continues its schedule without the imposter. Police keep the file open as the calendar advances toward the August 31 date. The October hearing will dig deeper into every detail of the documents, the shared Mass, and the videos that first alerted the public.

The episode leaves a clear mark on the community. Faithful, who once received blessings from Onchonga, now re-examine those moments. Church officials review their verification steps to prevent similar breaches. Across Kenya the story travels through conversations in markets and after Sunday gatherings.

People ask how a married father from Kisii managed to stand so close to the bishop for even one service. The answer sits in the forged papers and the trust they bought. Videos of the dance moves remain online as the lasting proof that finally forced the arrest. Onchonga faces the court process step by step while Lodwar returns to its usual rhythm under the wide Turkana sky.