How Pastor conned me Sh250, 000, says trader

A businessman yesterday told a court how a pastor allegedly defrauded him of Sh250,000 on the pretext that he was going to sell him land.

Gideon Muriungi told Principal Magistrate Duke Ocharo that Pastor Abel Kithinji started the scheme to con him in May, 2014.

The pastor had denied obtaining the money by false pretenses.

He was accused of pretending to be in a position to sell a three-acre parcel of agricultural land worth Sh5.2 million located in Kamachege estate in South Imenti.

“I had wanted to settle with my family and was delighted when a friend introduced me to the pastor who had land he wanted to dispose,” the businessman told the Nkubu court. Mr Muriungi told the court that he met the accused in a Nkubu pub where they agreed that he would sell him three acres at the cost of Sh5.2 million.

The pastor allegedly asked for a down payment to settle a family succession case.

He added that they signed an agreement with an advocate on June 30, 2014 and he paid the pastor Sh100,000. A week later, Muriungi says he paid another Sh150,000 with the promise that he would get a title deed in two months’ time.

Muriungi said the pastor then started avoiding his calls whenever he tried to check on the progress of the transaction.

“I panicked when the pastor started saying he did not know who I was. I later realised he had no shamba but had a case pending where he is accused of grabbing 10 acres from a family from the area,” said Mr Muriungi.

During cross examination, Pastor Kithinji said he received the amount from the complainant but maintained that he was still in the process of settling the succession matter.

He also denied that he had declined to refund the amount saying Muriungi had not asked for his money.

The case was adjourned until July 22.