Irate residents of Kanjai in Nkomo Ward, Meru County have burned down a church after accusing it’s pastor of sucking women and children’s breasts during sermons.
Residents who spoke to K24 Digital accused 43-year-old Pastor Daniel Mururu of practising cult-related incidences to unsuspecting hundreds of faithful for the last ten years.
Janet Karimi, a former church member, said the suspected controversial man of the cloth has been forcing the faithful to do some strange practices in the name of praying for them.
“I was one of his church members but at one point I discovered he was practising witchcraft instead of preaching the word of God when I left last year,” Karimi said.
After setting ablaze the African Inland Pentecostal Church (AIPC) on Tuesday, the villagers and church members also accused the pastor of shaving his followers’ pubic hair, slaughtering goats and smearing the blood to their legs and tongue while chanting unusual words.
“Strange things have been happening in this church but we cannot tell why we kept on going to the church despite all these worrying incidences, sometimes he could slaughter a goat or chicken and smear the blood on people’s bodies while chatting some funny words; other times he could suck women and children’s breasts and shave their private part hair and keep the hair claiming he will use it to pray for them. I think he is witch doctor, not a pastor,” one of the church members said.
They further claimed that he had recruited some ushers who would assist him in sucking the small children’s breasts.
“He could also ask women to remove their innerwear and burn them in the church claiming that would help them keep their men from cheating and have lasting marriages,” Muriki, another resident said.
The protesting locals said they had earlier reported the matter to the Ameru Njuri Ncheke counsel of elders for intervention where Mururu was later summoned by the elders but declined to honour the summon.
“He was also called by Njuri Ncheke but he refused to go when Gen Zs and the locals decided to burn the church since this is another ‘Shakahola’ because what he has been doing is satanic and demonic and we cannot allow fake religion to continue brainwashing innocent people in our community,” John, another resident said.
They, at the same time, called on the Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki to intervene and ensure speedy investigations are done and the culprit faces the full force of the law.
Pastor speaks
Speaking after recording statements at the DCI offices the controversial evangelist told K24 Digital that the accusations are not true and called on police to carry out investigations.
“I have been preaching for the last 20 years and all that they are saying is not true the law should take its course because they have even burnt the church and destroyed properties worth Ksh5 million,” Mururu said.
Claiming his life is in danger, Mururu called on police to provide security to him and his family saying he has received numerous death threats from unknown people.
While confirming the incident, the area officer commanding the station, Nicholas Musyoka said police have launched investigations over the matter and called on residents to consider reporting any matter to the police instead of taking the law into their own hands.
