Mombasa pastor shot dead while praying in church at night

By Philip Mwakio and Willis Oketch

A pastor was shot dead inside his church in Mombasa while praying on Saturday night.

Pastor Charles Mathole, 41, of the Redeemed Gospel Church at the Jesus Glorious Sanctuary in Vikwathani, Kisauni, Mombasa County was shot in the head.

He was found dead while still seated on a chair with the Holy Bible firmly clutched in his hands.

The killing has sparked a fresh wave of anger and anxiety from Christian faithful in Mombasa.

Faithful suspect the killing is religiously motivated to halt Christianity in the region where churches have been targeted and torched by suspected radical Islamists before.

His family accuses local police of ignoring credible threats to his life.

The attack came hours after the departure of Interior Secretary Joseph ole Lenku, who spent two days in Mombasa discussing the security of churches and religious harmony following the killing of radical Islamist Sheikh Ibrahim two weeks ago in Mombasa, which sparked riots in which a Salvation Army church was burnt in Majengo area of the coastal city.

Terrorist attack

On Sunday, police ruled out terrorism with Kisauni police chief Joseph Kioko describing the killing “as normal crime”.

Sources indicate detectives are investigating other motives for the killing.

Kioko said the church where the pastor was shot is believed to have been among those targeted for terrorist attack following a grenade attack on a congregation in Mtwapa in April last year but admitted no armed guards were posted to protect it.

Mathole’s widow, Clarice, whom The Standard traced to her home in Mtopanga estate, about three kilometres from the church, said police ignored threats on the pastor’s life after reporting text messages sent to his cellphone.

“He left home at around 10pm, which is his normal routine as he sets out to pray and prepare for Sunday mass, but never returned,” she said.

Morris Ali, who is a keyboard player at the church and who was within the church compound at the time of the incident, said the shooting may have happened at around midnight.

Loud bang

“I was in the church’s containerised studio recording music and did not hear any commotion,” he said.

Ali said even the night watchman did not see any intruder.

“I spoke with the pastor at around 11pm as he prepared to say night prayers and left him inside the church alone,” Ali said.

But neighbours living near the church, which is still under construction, said they heard a loud bang around midnight.