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Please don’t judge our dead pastor…


A pastor who died in the bed of a woman alleged to be his mistress was holy, his church members have said.

Mr Geoffrey Maingi of the Redeemed Gospel Church passed away in  Esther Wavinya’s rental house in Buruburu.

The public branded him an adulterer  after it emerged that he was married when his wife visited the scene and said he had ashamed her.

“I didn’t know he was a pastor until he died. I was even more shocked when his wife came and caused a scene outside the building. She told us mchungaji wa Mungu ametuaibisha. Sielewi hii ni kazi gani tunafanya (the man of God has ashamed us. I do not understand what we are doing),” said Henry Ogutu, a neighbour.

He said the pastor was a frequent visitor in the building since 2012 when Ms Wavinya moved in.

Ms Wavinya denied the accusation saying that the pastor only went to her house occasionally to pray for her.

Another woman who only identified herself as the pastor’s secretary castigated the public for vilifying him without establishing the truth.

“I know our pastor was holy. I believe he is in heaven right now. It is unfair to judge before the truth has been established,” she said.

Another church member who did not want to be identified said it was bad for people to speak ill of the man whom she knew only as good.

She said the pastor had anointed the congregation and other pastors during last Sunday’s service. She added Mr Maingi, 70 was fondly referred to as ‘our father’ owing to his service to all and the willingness to pray for anyone who sought his spiritual guidance.

But in spite of the spirited defence, questions have been raised about what the pastor was doing in Ms Wavinya’s  bed. According to a police officer investigating the death, the pastor was found naked on the bed.

Ms Wavinya said he suddenly developed breathing problems and died as she was trying to get help.

Buruburu OCPD Richard Kerich said they could not immediately establish if Ms Wavinya had committed any crime. He said they would have a better picture once the post-mortem examination was done.

When contacted, family members said they did not wish to discuss the life of Mr Maingi, saying that it was an infringement on their privacy.