Pastor burns feet of three teens over theft of Sh80 cake

The pastor is said to have forced the boys to walk on burning charcoal. [iStockphoto] 

Police are holding a pastor for allegedly torturing three boys who stole a cake worth Sh80.

The preacher is said to have forced the boys aged between 14 and 17, to stand on hot charcoal stove when he found them in his bakery at Kaptimbor in Baringo Central Constituency.

Area police commander Adamson Bungei said the incident occurred on Monday night, but the pastor and his employee identified as Daniel Koros, were arrested on Wednesday.

Bungei described the incident as callous and unfortunate, saying the pastor should have used lawful means.

“We have arrested the two suspects for taking the law into their own hands and subjecting the minors to inhuman treatment.

"The two boys are undergoing treatment at a local hospital and have been issued with P3 forms,” said the police boss, adding that they will be arraigned in court after investigations.

According to a witness Vivian Bungei, the incident happened at around 11pm.

"I was called by a neighbour who said that a man had burnt the children for stealing," she said, adding that when she went to the scene, she found the children writhing in pain.

“We rushed them to the hospital on a motorcycle belonging to the pastor and later reported the incident to police."

Margret Tarus, the mother of one of the children, said her son went to sleep in a separate house at around 9pm but she received a call at 5am from a stranger who told her that the son was in hospital. "I rushed to the hospital where I found my child with severe burns on his feet and in great pain," she said.

Dr Garishom Abakalwa, the medical superintendent at the Baringo County Hospital, where the three are admitted, said that one of them had third-degree burns while the others had second-degree burns.

“For the one with third-degree burns, we have to see whether it will complicate the skin and need surgery but the other two will be fine,” he said.