Pastor Ng’ang’a and businessman feud over Sh3.6m

Pastor James Ng’ang’a in the dock at a Limuru court where he was acquitted of charges of causing death by dangerous driving . [File, Standard]

Pastor James Ng’ang’a is yet again entangled in controversy for allegedly defrauding a businessman of Sh3.6 million.

Wickson Njoroge, a property contractor, is accusing the Neno Evangelist preacher of tricking him into a lease deal where he paid him (Ng’ang’a) to rent out his 17-bedroom house in Karen but he refused to hand over the keys.

Njoroge claims that in April 2016, he was seeking accommodation for guests who were visiting for six months. An agent referred him to Ng’ang’a who had property befitting his needs. They met in the presence of lawyers from both sides and inked a deal.

False promises

Njoroge committed to pay Sh900,000 as deposit and Sh450,000 monthly rent. The apostle insisted on a cash payment. Njoroge obliged. He paid a deposit and six months rent in advance, a decision he says he regrets.

“We walked with him to the bank and I handed him the cash which he deposited in his account. From there, a cat and mouse game started and he kept giving me false promises but never gave me the keys,” Njoroge says.

He says Ng’anga kept saying some of his items were still in the house, and he would give him the keys as soon as they moved out but he never did.

Ng’ang’a dismisses the claims. He says they had a lease agreement, but it was on behalf of some Chinese businessmen who wanted a place to stay.

He says he was sceptical about entering an agreement with foreigners and insisted that a local must represent them.

The Chinese returned with Njoroge and a property agent and it is only then that Ng’ang’a agreed to rent out his expansive house along Kisembi Road. He says he gave them the key, and four months later that Njoroge told him the Chinese who were to stay in the house had been deported.

“The agreement was that they give me a two-month notice before moving out. I never got it,” Ng’ang’a says.

Njoroge says Ng’ang’a has mastered the art of telling lies and has been weaving tales including trying to lure him to go and collect the money.

“He kept telling me to go and meet him, but he is not a man to be trusted. I wondered why he could not just wire the money,” Njoroge says.

Nairobi Central OCPD Peter Atavachi says they arrested Ng’ang’a on Wednesday for questioning, and released him on bail.

He was to appear at Milimani Law Courts, but Ng’ang’a says he is not aware of any demand for him to appear before court.

“I am sitting comfortably in my house. I do not know anything about appearing in court. Nobody informed me,” he says.

Ng’ang’a is not new to controversy. His preaching mission has been littered with several cases that have sent him to the arms of the law.

In July 2015, Ng’ang’a is said to have been involved in a hit-and-run accident along Naivasha-Nakuru highway, causing the death of Mercy Njeri.

He charmed his congregation by strumming his guitar with eyes closed, and accusing media of interfering with God’s work.

“The enemy is working hard to scatter God’s work,” he declared in an emotional service he held after hitting the headlines over the road accident.

His church was packed with believers who insist he is being persecuted by media.

A few weeks ago, Ng’ang’a took to the social media to condemn the media for lashing out at false prophets.

In his long rant, he threatened to kill Citizen TV journalist Linus Kaikai. He was arrested and released on a cash bail.

Ng’ang’a says he has resorted to using his social media pages to clear his name after he realised the media are bent on tainting his name.

“I use my social media page to talk to my followers and tell them the truth,” he says.

A video released yesterday after news of his arrest broke was targeted at the media who he claims have cast a spotlight on him for no reason.