The accounts of the Pentecostal Assemblies of God church will remain frozen until next Friday when the court will rule on the way forward, a magistrate has said.
The church’s two accounts were closed on January 19 after three pastors went to court, claiming the church had misused money meant for their retirement kitty.
On Tuesday, PAG asked the Vihiga court to allow a tribunal to arbitrate a dispute pitting 4,000 pastors against the church.
Vihiga principal magistrate Jacinta Orwa then gave the warring parties nine hours to consult, but they did not reach an agreement.
Zablon Mokua, who represented the church, said the pastors violated the PAG’s constitution by taking matters to court.
He wanted the case referred to the church tribunal, saying PAG has a dispute resolution mechanism.
The request was dismissed by the pastors’ lawyer David Kahi.
He said the church has not presented any arbitration agreement that would guide the process.
“There is no dispute to warrant arbitration. What the pastors are asking is for their retirement benefits to be remitted to their pensions kitty,” Kahi said.
As a result of the court case, the church’s accounts at Ecobank and Barclays Bank have been frozen, pending the magistrate’s ruling.
This, the church said, had caused “agony” as workers have not been paid.
In a complaint seen by the Star, Reverends Stephen Malande, James Obondo, and Ronald Moracha say the church executive misused or diverted the money contributed by pastors towards their retirement.
It says church leader general superintendent Patrick Lihanda, secretary Elisha Kimaiyo and treasurer Elisha Kimaiyo should not access the church accounts, pending the hearing of the case
The complaint further said Lihanda should be restrained from continuing as PAG’s general superintendent because the position allows him to access and collect money from the pastors.