We saw pastor being killed, men confess

Esther Bochaberi Oyugi, a pastor who was abducted and murdered in Suneka, Kisii County. Her body has since been discovered in a sugarcane plantation in Awendo. (Photo/Sammy Omingo/Standard)

Two of the 11 suspects accused of killing a church leader have told a Kisii Court that they witnessed the brutal murder of Pastor Esther Bochaberi last March.

Edward Onyango and Edwin Mayienda, who together with the other nine suspects were arraigned before Justice Joseph Karanja, said they witnessed the killing of Ms Bochaberi, but did not participate in the commission of the crime.

Her mutilated body was found in a sugar plantation in Awendo, Migori County, some 40km from her home in Kisii County. She was abducted before being killed.

Yesterday, Fredrick Nyambati, James Mogita, Edward Onyango, Edwin Mayienda, Benson Machuka, Peter Nyamarere, Joseph Moire, Reuben Onduso, Christopher Oyugi, Robert Orwaru and Vincent Maobe appeared in court for mention of their case.

“Your honour, I would like to confess before this honourable court that I saw Pastor Esther Bochaberi being killed on March 11, 2018, but I did not at all participate in her killing,” Mayienda told the court.

Sh500,000 bond

Onyango, too, told the court that he also saw the cleric being killed but did not take part in the murder.

The 11 suspects, who are out on a Sh500,000 bond each, were first charged in a Kisii Court with abduction after the pastor was reported missing. Her body was discovered one month later in the sugar plantation.

Following the discovery of the body, their charges were amended from abduction to murder by a Kisii Court, afterwhich they appeared before Homa Bay High Court judge Hellen Omondi and denied murdering Bochaberi on March 11, in Bokeira village, Kisii County. They were then released on bond.

Bochaberi was buried at her Bokeira home in Bonchari Constituency last week. Her family is represented by lawyer Stephen Kimaiyo, while all the accused are represented by Elijah Okemwa.

Hearing of the case will start on June 13.

Five suspects, including an assistant chief, had initially been arrested and arraigned before Kisii Chief Magistrate Stephen Onjoro in March. They were charged with the abduction of the pastor and released on a Sh200,000 bond each.