Cleric found with 70 litres of Chang’aa remanded for failing to raise fine

Eldoret,

 Tuesday, September, 26, 2023, 

KNA by Kiptanui Cherono

 A Pastor from Moi’s Bridge Township in Uasin Gishu county was arraigned in an Eldoret court charged possession 70 litres of chang’aa. 

The cleric was found in possession of the illicit liquor on Monday and was detained at the Eldoret GK remand prison for failing to raise an Sh. 50,000 cash bail.

Isaac Tenge of New Jerusalem Church was arraigned before Eldoret Senior Resident Magistrate Rosemary Onkoba and charged with being found in possession of whose content was questionable.

The Senior Resident Magistrate ordered him to be released on a cash bail of Sh. 50,000 or an alternative bond of Sh 100,000 with one surety of a similar amount. The cleric was unable to raise either.

The cleric was charged that on September 24, 2023, he was found in possession of an illicit brew, popularly known as chang’aa at his Moi’s Bridge home in Soy Sub-County, Uasin Gishu County.

He was arrested by a team of police officers attached to Moi’s Bridge police station following a crackdown to weed out the sale of illicit brew in the region.

The security agencies stormed the ‘man of God’s’ homestead following a tip-off from members of the public and seized the illicit brew, an occurrence that left his church followers and residents in shock and disbelief.

Pastor Tenge, seemed to have been abandoned by his flock, as none of the church followers were present in court apart from his wife, and three children pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The man of the clothe was bundled into a prison bus alongside other suspects and driven off to Eldoret GK remand prison after failing to meet the bail terms. 

Earlier the pastor claimed before the court that he had sustained injuries occasioned by arresting officers and pleaded to the court that he needed urgent medical attention.

“Your honour police officers beat my wife, and I causing us bodily harm. I need urgent medical attention, likewise to my wife,” claimed the pastor while pleading for urgent medical attention.

In delivering her ruling, the Magistrate assured the cleric that his grievances would be addressed by the state counsel urging him to be patient. The case will be mentioned on October 5, 2023.

Courtesy; KNA