By Maureen Odiwuor
A man recently escaped lynching after he was accused of stealing a senior church official’s wife in Rabuor area of Kisumu County.
The man, whom many revered for his prophetic gift at a roho (spirit) church, was ambushed midway while shouting in tongues and brought back to life by beatings from church members for being a home wrecker.
Thief
The man was deeply in the spirit world giving prophesies in a sort of unconscious state, when the church’s lay leader, who had been late on purpose, entered the church and made a beeline for him.
“Jakuogni, chiegi okromi ibiro imaya dhako kaseluoke maler (You thief! You are not satisfied with your wife. That’s why you took mine away after I have taken good care of her)!” he shouted.
His sentiments brought disorder in the church and everyone rose from their seats surprised, trying to decipher what was going on. The lay leader explained how, on many occasions, he had found the prophet in his house during odd hours and days of the week.
Being a teacher, the lay leader was never around during the day but whenever he came back to the house to pick something, he always found the prophet in his house either eating or just chatting with his wife.
He did not like his behaviour but respected him for his gift of prophecy, hence did not suspect him of having an affair with his beautiful young wife.
“Kara asebet kapidho ne ngato dhako takia, mayoo (So I have been taking care of this woman on someone’s behalf!)” he lamented while kicking and punching the prophet with fury.
He explained to the agitated congregation that two weeks ago, he came back in the evening and found out that his wife had swept his house almost clean, only leaving a bed without mattress. Perturbed by the behaviour, he asked around and got leads that his wife had moved in with the said ‘prophet’ in a rental house at Rabuor Shopping Centre. True to the rumours, he found his wife one week later after a tireless search because she had left with her two children.
Holy place
“My wife has refused to come back home saying she does not mind leaving with this idiot!” he said and took a nearby empty chair that he flung at the prophet who was now lying on the ground as if unaware of what was going on. The angry congregants followed suit with everyone throwing anything that their hands could land on.
The church soloist tried cooling the situation by starting a peace song, a reminder that they were in a holy place and should not do something stupid. Unfortunately, no one listened to her. Angry youths of the church continued kicking and slapping him around until he lay helpless.
Bondage
But fearing that the man could die in the holy place, they took him outside the church to continue teaching him a lesson. Unfortunately, this was the opportune time the prophet was waiting for because as soon as he stepped outside the church, he freed himself from ‘bondage’ when he simultaneously elbowed the two young men in the stomach.
He then took off, vanishing in the bush leaving the crowd that was in hot pursuit disappointed.
