Kitui, Kenya: A Kitui pastor spent a night in the cold after he was arrested by police officers with three stolen goats worth Sh19,500. Paul Mutambu of the Gospel Victory Church in Mutomo, Kitui south was allegedly nabbed with the animals while attempting to transport them from Mutomo to Kitui town where it was alleged he was going to sell them to unsuspecting butcher men.
Concerned matatu crew who later disclosed to police officers how the pastor had been transporting goats via their vehicles every week challenged him to provide documents to prove he was the rightful owner of the animals lest they report him to the police. Unfortunately, the man of God was unable to do as requested prompting the matatu team to alert the police who swiftly swung into action arresting the father of four.
The owner of the goats Beatrice Kinyumu, a green grocer from the town who claims to have lost dozens of goats this year alone says she was compelled to strike a deal with matatu transporters to help her catch the thieves.
“For long I suspected they used to transport my goats to sell in other towns,” she said. “I therefore pleaded with the matatu guys to help me catch the thieves who had terrorised me for long,” she adds. Unbelieving residents filled the Mutomo law courts on Tuesday morning to hear the pastor deny the charges read before him by Mutomo Resident Magistrate Sandra Ogot.
Mutambu was released on a Sh2,000 cash bail with his case expected to continue on 14th January 2014. Mutomo OCPD Thomas Ngeiywa says theft of domestic animals has been on the rise this festive month urging butcher men to be more vigilance when purchasing animals for slaughter.
-standardmedia.co.ke
