BY CHARLES NGENO

A pastor from Kimulot area in Bomet County was recently frogmarched half nude to a police station when he was caught fooling around with a primary school girl behind a tea-buying centre.

Pastor Samwel Kimetto from Liberty, Restoration and Forgiveness Church was found by a local vigilante group called ‘Chepwongo Operation Rudi Shuleni’ that had suspected him to be up to no good for a long time. It is reported that his dalliance with the members of the opposite sex had unsettled the group.

The incident took place at Chepwongo area at around 8pm. It is reported that the pastor had organised for a kesha (night-long prayer meeting) in preparation for a major crusade that was to take place the following week.

Suspicion

As the brothers and sisters sang praise songs for the Lord, ‘the man of God’ excused himself and left the church building. The girl followed him after. This did not, however, raise suspicion as it was thought that the girl was responding to a call of nature.

However, the girl, who is a daughter to a primary school teacher, is reported to have walked out of the church compound and headed in the direction the pastor had gone.

The suspicious group, who were stationed some metres away from the church, resolved to follow the girl discreetly.

The tea-buying centre was quiet because farmers had cleared transacting the day’s business and had left for their homes. Soon, the vigilantes heard the two whispering before the whispers turned into moans and groans. It is then that they decided to strike.

With dazzling spotlights, the two lovers were busted. Their attempt to dress up was futile because the unexpected light had temporarily blinded them.

In an attempt to dash off, the pastor instead rushed into the hands of a strong man who held him like firmly.

The two were frog-marched to Kapset Administration Police post.

The congregation at the church was stunned when word about the wayward behaviour of their pastor reached them. They, however, prayed, asking God to forgive the two saying that ‘all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God’.

The police were not as forgiving since they transferred the pastor to Litein police station the following day saying the ‘man of God’ had to face the full force of the law.

The officer in charge of Kapset AP post, Corporal Alfred Rotich, confirmed the incident and said the pastor had been handed over to the police and was to appear in court for child molestation and defilement.

Area chief Francis Chepkulul termed the incident unfortunate, especially coming from a man of God whose morals and conduct were expected to be above reproach. He warned those pretending and hiding in the house of the lord that their days are numbered.

When he appeared before the Sotik chief magistrate, the pastor pleaded not guilty and was released on a cash bail of Sh100,000