This archive report was first published on 12 June 2020.
Published on June 12, 2020, a probe was launched against Pastor Raphael Nzuki Kituva of Good News Church of Africa after the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) received a complaint about him diverting rent from the church's property to his personal bank account for more than three years.
The church owns residential houses, shops, and parking in its compound, all leased out, and the pastor was found to have been receiving rent for all the property from 2017 to the end of last month. The rental income was deposited in the church's account before the preacher started diverting the cash.
According to an affidavit filed at the court, members of the church had approached the pastor for financial assistance to pay for their medical bills in April or May 2020. However, they were informed that the church did not have any money in its Cooperative Bank account.
It was then that members questioned Joycaster Wavinya, the church's personal secretary, who disclosed that most of the rental income was deposited into the pastor's account. They then reported to Buruburu police station.
Detective Corporal Benson Munyoki of Buruburu DCI offices obtained orders from senior principal magistrate Lewis Gatheru to peruse both Kituva's and his church's bank account held with Equity and Cooperative Banks respectively.
