News / Africa
Residents burn church down over missing boy
10 Mar 2012 at 05:33hrs | Views
Kenya - RESIDENTS of Mwembe Legeza in Bamburi on Thursday evening burnt a church accusing its pastor of kidnapping a four-year-old boy. They first demolished the Apostle Congregation Ministries before setting it ablaze. The church, which boasts of about 500 following, has been in the area for about two years now. They accused the pastor of trying to 'sell' the minor, who is an albino. His mother Amina Mzungu is also an albino.
Her son went missing from church last Sunday and she reported the matter to police. However, the pastor, identified only as Mwangi, kept on telling her he was somewhere safe and being fed well. "Last Sunday at around 6pm, a 10-year-old girl wanted me to give her my son so she could walk with him to a shop. I refused. Moments later, my son disappeared as we were praying before we could go home," said Amina.
The boy's father, Joseph Mzungu, said Maina admitted to them that the boy was somewhere safe and that he would soon come back home. "We went to Taru where we heard Mwangi is staying. We called him to the area chief's office where he said my son was safe and that he would return home on Thursday or Sunday," said Joseph, who does not worship at the church.
The residents threatened to match to Taru where they said they would torch the pastor's house. Kisauni DC Tom Anjere condemned the torching of the church. He said the rule of law should be allowed to take its course. "We are aware there has been a complaint regarding a child who is said to have been lost here. The police are making efforts to see to it that we are able to unearth the truth of the matter. But as a government, we are not going to allow acts of hooliganism," said Anjere.
The DC said the whereabouts of the pastor will not be revealed for security reasons. "However, as the police said, he is within reach. The pastor is cooperating." Kisauni police boss Julius Wanjohi said investigations are going on. "But so far, the matter is treated as a case of a missing child," he said. "Well, right now what we have is a missing child. And the evidence we shall have can turn to anything. So, it can be child trafficking. We are trying to find out how the child went missing."
Her son went missing from church last Sunday and she reported the matter to police. However, the pastor, identified only as Mwangi, kept on telling her he was somewhere safe and being fed well. "Last Sunday at around 6pm, a 10-year-old girl wanted me to give her my son so she could walk with him to a shop. I refused. Moments later, my son disappeared as we were praying before we could go home," said Amina.
The boy's father, Joseph Mzungu, said Maina admitted to them that the boy was somewhere safe and that he would soon come back home. "We went to Taru where we heard Mwangi is staying. We called him to the area chief's office where he said my son was safe and that he would return home on Thursday or Sunday," said Joseph, who does not worship at the church.
The residents threatened to match to Taru where they said they would torch the pastor's house. Kisauni DC Tom Anjere condemned the torching of the church. He said the rule of law should be allowed to take its course. "We are aware there has been a complaint regarding a child who is said to have been lost here. The police are making efforts to see to it that we are able to unearth the truth of the matter. But as a government, we are not going to allow acts of hooliganism," said Anjere.
The DC said the whereabouts of the pastor will not be revealed for security reasons. "However, as the police said, he is within reach. The pastor is cooperating." Kisauni police boss Julius Wanjohi said investigations are going on. "But so far, the matter is treated as a case of a missing child," he said. "Well, right now what we have is a missing child. And the evidence we shall have can turn to anything. So, it can be child trafficking. We are trying to find out how the child went missing."
Source - The Star
