This archive report was first published on 10 July 2019.
July 10, 2019 - A shocking case of domestic abuse has unfolded in a Mombasa court, where a pastor is accused of locking his wife in their house for three months as punishment for visiting the sick and returning home late.
The wife, Hellen Chelanga, testified that her husband, Bishop Evans Manyenyo Elengwa, became enraged when she joined a community-based organization as a social worker and vowed to teach her a lesson.
"My husband vowed to teach me a lesson. That's when he started locking me in our bedroom from morning to evening. He would lock me and offer a bucket to use in case I wanted to relieve myself. He would unlock the house only at night once he was back home," she said.
According to Hellen, the bishop would lock her in their bedroom from morning to evening for three months, only allowing her to use a bucket for relieving herself during the day.
A church member, Ephraim Amugune, testified that they became suspicious when Bishop Manyenyo failed to attend church services and were told by the husband that his wife was sick.
However, it was later discovered that the bishop had secretly married a young girl from the church after impregnating her, and had locked up his wife to prevent her from knowing.
Bishop Manyenyo has denied the allegations, stating that he detained his wife as "punishment" for coming home late and "denying me conjugal rights".
The ruling on whether the accused infringed on his wife's rights will be made on August 8, 2019.
