Televangelist Arrested, Accused of Murdering Pregnant Girlfriend
A televangelist from Kenya has been detained for assault and murder of his four months pregnant girlfriend, who died shortly after being attacked over the weekend.
Pastor Paul Ng'ang'a Wanjiru of Wells of Faith Church and his son James Mutua are currently being held for the murder of Caroline Chinjira, an employee of Panafric Hotel who was said to have been strangled before escaping to find help.
Before dying from profuse bleeding while undergoing treatment at the Kenyatta National Hospital, she narrated her story to the police who arrested the father and son duo after her death, according to The Standard.
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The incident began on Friday when the two accused men were driving Chinjira home.
Because Ng'ang'a allegedly did not want word to spread about his girlfriend's pregnancy, although he already had another son with her, he and Mutua planned to murder her.
While they drove along the Southern bypass in Lang'ata, a road many drivers avoided due to its high crime rates (such as carjacking), Mutua, who sat in the backseat, began strangling the victim from behind as his father drove slowly.
During the struggle however, Chinjira managed to overpower the son and leapt out of the moving car, running on foot towards Ngong Road near Lenana School, desperately seeking help.
"She had sought help from other motorists using the road in vain," Rono Bunei, an officer in Lang'ata told the local news station. "It forced her to walk to near Lenana School where she sought help from the guards."
Chinjira told her story to the guards who went back to the site of attack and found the pastor and son still at the location. They, however, told the Muthangari Police Station that their car had been hijacked.
Just as the two were giving their report, Chinjira was filing her own report at the Karen Police Station at the same time, accusing Ng'ang'a and Mutua of assault.
Matthew Gwiyo of the Dagoretti OCPD told The Standard, "This prompted the officers on duty to detain the pastor briefly after the woman reported of being beaten before we released him on bond. But he was arrested after she died."
The two men went to court on Monday to face their murder charges.
After news of Chinjira's murder was reported, congregation members became angry and demolished the church building where Ng'ang'a preached.
The Wells of Faith Church is located in the Kawangware area.
