A London-based church has been fined £7,740.50 (Sh1 million) for “disturbing neighbours with loud sermons” to exorcise believers of demons and spells.
The church headed by a Kenyan, Bishop Climate Irungu, was fined at Camberwell Green Magistrates on February 22, after it was found guilty of two charges under Section 80 of the Environmental Protection Act 1980.
“We would have preferred to settle this matter out of court, but unfortunately, our attempts to work with the church leaders were ignored,” Councillor Michael Situ, a member of Southwark Council cabinet said.
Situ said the penalty will remind both leaders, and the wider community that anti-social behaviour of any kind will “not be tolerated and wrongdoers will be made to pay one way or another”.
The Southwark Borough Council took Irungu’s Camberwell church to court after residents lodged complains about the “noisy’ church services held in the night.
According to the church’s website, it runs a weekly 3am service because “it is a well-known time that witchcraft and negative elements begin to work”.
But the Bishop from Mtito Andei said the church would appeal the fine as it had received no complaints since installing a new roof in an effort to reduce
noise.
“I do not deny that we made some noise. But we have spent nearly ten thousand pounds reducing the noise. And I was out of the country so could not go to court,” said Irungu, as quoted by Southwark news .
The Bishop said while the witches are busy working their witchcraft at 3 am, “you are getting the wisdom of God concerning their demonic operations”.
Kenyan Church in London fined Sh1m for ‘causing disturbance
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