Embu Pastor Arrested For Faking Kidnap

The pastor, identified as Alex Nyagah Benson of the Victory Tabernacle Church, is currently being held by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (CID) officers in Runyenjes for a week.

Acting Senior Resident Magistrate Githinji Munene gave the CID officers consent to hold the pastor and an alleged accomplice Evangeline Gicuku Nicolas at the Embu Police station.

The pastor allegedly called an Erick Macharia and told him that he had been kidnapped by some thugs in Nairobi and asked to be sent the money which the 'thugs' had allegedly demanded as ransom.

Macharia is reported to have sent the money through MPESA to a phone number given to him by Mr Nyagah.

Macharia, however, reported the matter to the police who tried to trace the pastor and the alleged kidnappers.

The police tracked the number to a house in Runyenjes town instead of Nairobi.

The magistrate granted the application and ordered that the pastor and the woman be held at the Embu police station pending investigations.

The two are expected back in court on April 15th when they are expected to be formally charged for the offence.

By Maureen Murimi