Bishop, pastor charged with grabbing church land

L-R Florence Wanjiru, John Njeru, William Nyamu, Mellon Ngendo and Andrew Gitonga in the dock at a Milimani court where they were accused that they conspired to defraud Kenya Redeemed Church of a plot in Kayole. [George Njunge, Standard]

A bishop and pastor are among five people who have been charged with conspiracy to defraud.

Andrew Gitonga, Mellon Ngendo, William Nyamu, John Njeru and Florence Wanjiru were yesterday arraigned before Milimani Magistrate Martha Mutuku.

They were accused that on January 1, 2012 and October 15, 2012 within Nairobi they, jointly with others not before court, conspired to defraud Kenya Redeemed Church of its parcel of land in Kayole.

The five faced another charge of making a document without authority. It was alleged that on the same dates they made special power of attorney and sale agreement documents, purporting them to be drawn and filed by Wandugi Karathe and Company Advocates and issued to Kenya Redeemed Church.

The third charge read that on the same dates, the five accused persons uttered to the Deputy Director of Housing Development Department Nairobi County Mwangi Chiera the same special power of attorney and sale agreement documents.

According to the investigation officer, all the accused were members of the Kenya Redeemed Church before secretly breaking away to form a new church called New Life Redemption Ministries, thereby occasioning the above transactions.

The prosecution did not object to their release on bond and bail. The five, through their lawyer, applied to be furnished with all documentary evidence and the charge sheet that the prosecution will use in the case.

The magistrate released them on Sh100,000 cash bail with an alternative of Sh200,000 bond. The hearing date was set for December 5.