Police arrest ACK pastor suspected of defiling his ‘niece’
Police in Embu are holding an Anglican Church of Kenya cleric suspected to have defiled a seven year old orphaned schoolgirl in Spring Valley area.
The clergyman, 37 year-old Pastor Elijah Muchangi, is said to have lured the girl to his house Tuesday evening from a nearby playground where she was playing with her friends.
Embu West police boss Francis Sang’ said the clergyman lured the girl to his house pretending to want to send her to the shop. His wife and children were away.
LIMPING
He said the girl’s grandmother noticed the girl limping and inquired on what had happened.
The girl, a class three pupil at St Michael Primary school, narrated to her grandmother of the ordeal.
“His wife and children were away for the day and he called me. He forced me to remove my clothes telling me he would beat me up if I screamed. This is the second time it happened,” she said.
The girl further claimed that this was the second time she had been raped by the pastor.
The pastor had reportedly warned her against telling anyone, threatening her with dire, unspecified action.
NIECE
A relative said the girl is the cleric’s niece and is orphaned.
On Wednesday, police had a difficult period controlling an angry crowd that had gathered at the Embu Level Five hospital where the pastor’s was being tested to verify the rape.
The police had taken the suspect together with his victim for medical tests.
The girl was subsequently admitted at the institution and administered with post-exposure prophylaxis drugs to prevent HIV infection.
The angry crowd, mainly composed of women, momentarily paralyzed operations at the hospital.
“I just came here to offer solidarity to the family and friends of the girl. The cases of pastors being involved in sexual offences are on the rise and there is a need to stop them,” said Ms Margaret Marigu.
