SDA pastor accused of defiling minor released on Sh100,000 bond

Seventh-Day Adventist Church (SDA) Pastor Bernard Tambo was detained at Homa Bay Police station. He has been released on Sh100,000 bond. [James Omoro, Standard]

A Seventh-Day Adventist (SDA) pastor was released on a Sh100, 000 bond with a surety of a similar amount after he denied defiling a 14-year old girl in Homa Bay County.

Bernard Tambo Odhiambo—who is in charge of the church’s Homa-Bay East District comprising 10 churches—was accused of defiling a minor who is a Class Eight pupil at a primary school in Homa Bay County.

Tambo appeared before Homa Bay Senior Resident Magistrate Joy Wesonga where he faced two counts.

In the first count, the man of God was accused of defiling the minor.

The court heard that Tambo intentionally and unlawfully had carnal knowledge of the girl at Nyalkinyi, in Homa Bay Sub-county on December 2, 2020.

 In the second count, the pastor was accused of committing an indecent act with a child.

The court heard that the pastor intentionally and unlawfully touched private parts of the girl with his genital.

The clergyman denied the charges saying none of them was true.

Then Wesonga released him on a bond of Sh100,000 with surety of similar amount.

The case will be heard on January 11, 2021.