Pastor arrested over murder of girlfriend

By CYRUS OMBATI

A televangelist has been arrested over the murder of his girlfriend in Dagoretti Nairobi.

Police are holding the pastor and his son over the murder of the woman who was identified as Caroline Chinjira, an employee of Sarova Panafric Hotel.

The two are accused of strangling Chinjira along the southern by-pass in the Langata area on Friday night before she died on Saturday while undergoing treatment at the Kenyatta National Hospital.

Pregnant

Chinjira was four months pregnant, which according to the family and police, was the source of the conflict with the suspects.

She also had a son with the pastor.

According to police sources, Chinjira overpowered the son and got out of the moving car and dashed into darkness as they allegedly pursued her.

Chinjira told police before she died that she ran on foot up to Ngong Road near Lenana School where she found a Securicor car and sought help from them.

"She had sought help from other motorists using the road in vain. It forced her to walk to near Lenana School where she received help from the guards," said Langata OCPD Rono Bunei.

She narrated her story to the guards informing them what she had gone through before they drove back to the scene where she said the attack happened.

Reported carjacking

The pastor and the son allegedly informed the guards that they had been carjacked by gunmen.

According to Dagoretti OCPD Mathew Gwiyo, the suspects drove to Muthangari Police Station and reported being carjacked.

At that time, Chinjira was making a report at the Karen Police Station.

"This prompted the officers on duty to detain the pastor briefly after the woman reported to have been beaten before we released him on bond. But he was arrested after she died," said Gwiyo.

Demolished church

And when the news of the arrest of the pastor broke out on Sunday, his followers descended on his church in Kawangware area and demolished it in a fit anger.

Gwiyo added the pastor and his son are expected in court on Monday morning to face murder charges.