Senior SDA church members grilled in pastor’s murder plot

Nairobi Central SDA church. [Standard]

Ten prominent individuals, among them a retired Postmaster General, two former military officers, a doctor and a professor, were yesterday quizzed over an alleged threat on a pastor’s life.

The summoning of the 10, some of whom hold key positions in the church, is likely to widen the split at the Nairobi Central Seventh Day Adventist Church, which has been engulfed in a protracted battle over control.

They were quizzed over allegations of plotting to kill Senior Pastor Jean Maiywa.

Maiywa, who is also the church’s chairman of the board in charge of business, has been at the centre of the church controversy. A group opposed to his leadership has been calling for his ouster.

The prominent individuals, including a Nakuru politician, recorded statements at Kilimani Directorate of Criminal Investigations yesterday.

Maiywa recorded statements at the same police station on Thursday, claiming that his life was in danger.

He told police that threats to his life emanated from the church wrangles and blamed a splinter group.

Lawyer Samuel Keengwe accompanied his clients to record statements.

He said one of his clients, Eric Magutu, a church elder, is alleged to have been armed with a pistol and a knife during one of the worship sessions and that he threatened to kill Maiywa.

Keengwe said his client was not a firearm holder as alleged by Maiywa.

The lawyer said the 10 also faced questions to explain the killing of Pastor Vincent Okeyo in 2015.