Pastor Ng'ang'a case postponed to August

A case in which televangelist James Ng’ang’a is accused of threatening to kill Citizen TV journalist Linus Kaikai did not proceed after the complainant failed to attend. 

The case was scheduled for hearing before Kiambu chief magistrate Patricia Gichohi on Thursday. 

Senior state counsel Christine Mbevi said the investigating officer was unable to bond the complainant to give his evidence in the case.

She asked the court to grant them an application for another date to enable all the witnesses to be present.

The magistrate ordered the case to be mentioned on June 21 to confirm whether the investigating officer will use the Neno Evangelism Centre pastor's phone as an exhibit. It will be heard on August 26.

Pastor Ng'ang'a, who did not object to the prosecution's request, asked the court to order the return his cellphone confiscated during his arrest. 

He has also denied another charge of incitement to violence and disobedience of the law.

The pastor, who is out on a Sh200,000 bail, is charged that on or about March 10 at an unknown place in Nairobi, he uttered words to wit "Wewe kijana wachana na mambo zako, na kama umeingia laini ya Ng'ang'a, my friend you will face the consequences. I can't hide you but you can hide me".

The words constituted a threat to kill Kaikai.

Another count is that on the same date and place, Ng'ang'a implied that it was or might be desirable to bring death or physical injury to the journalist.

He was arrested on Sunday night and taken in for questioning at the DCI headquarters on Kiambu Road.

Detectives from DCI's Homicide unit are leading the investigation.

The controversial preacher released a sensational video clip on social media issuing threats of unknown consequences against the journalist who had criticised rogue preachers and called for regulation of the religious sector, including a requirement of higher education for clerics.

(Edited by R.Wamochie)