By Taban Gabriel
King News 1st October 2024 – In the bustling Sherikat neighborhood of Gumbo, a small church built from iron sheets stands surrounded by makeshift living quarters. The roughly 15-meter-sized structure has become the focus of a police investigation.
On Monday, law enforcement officers launched an inquiry into suspected cult activity involving the church’s pastor. Neighbors had tipped off the police after a dispute arose among the church’s founders, prompting authorities to act swiftly.
Police raided the facility, cordoning off the area and seizing the building. During the search, officers discovered several peculiar items, including three deep pits, animal hides, bows and arrows, machetes, and scattered clothing.
Some of the items discovered inside the church (Photo Credit: Taban Gabriel, King News)
Of particular interest were the pits, some of which contained watery red substances resembling blood. Investigators are currently analyzing the materials to determine their origin and significance.
Amol Akur, a middle-aged woman with three children, was also found at the church. She revealed that during her three-month stay seeking healing, she and her children were prohibited from participating in certain church activities.
“Things have been happening here, but when they want to dig the holes, they don’t allow me and my children to come out of the house to witness,” Amol said.
According to Police, the prime suspect a 37-year-old female Congolese national, is on the run while her partner, a South Sudanese by nationality and a supposed husband has been detained pending investigation.
However, a case opened against the “fugitive pastor” by her husband at a sector in Shirikat didn’t give a detailed account of the whole scenario but instead credited the case to the plaintiff, who happens to be the partner of the run-away pastor
“A case is being opened by Gale. He has opened the case against his wife, a prophet. The case is about fighting, and the case is still under investigation by the police,” a recorded statement by the police reads and voiced by an interrogative officer, Sergeant Major Ceaser Lodiong Mogga
The incident led to several arrest in the neighborhood of Sherikat area, including the local chief of Madi Community Martin Duku.
“The reason they arrested me, I heard they dug pits in the compound, yet I don’t know. Omwony went to me that come and see people have gathered there, they might ask you as neighbors later and that is the reason I went there. And when I reached there, they immediately arrested me,” Duku testified
“She was selling Egyptina sucpans. Then she went to Congo (Democratic Republc of Congo). When she came from Congo she established her church. When she opened her church neighbors started making complains. No one want to go to the church. Every one was scared until I had to intervene as an area chief who works for the community, and if there is something wrong, it’s me to intervene and if they want to beat me let them go ahead” Duku narrated
Chief Martin in his narrative, described how his intervention was met with rigid respond and threats from the “fugitive pastor” and her congregations.
“When I said the drums should be stopped, they started chasing me, the husband removed his shirt, and the congregation was after him, shouting pastor, please don’t beat him, I ran and locked myself inside my house and in the morning, I reported to the Payam, and it’s Payam that sent a letter to the church, and the drums were stopped,” he said
Richard Bangutu a cousin to the detained husband of the fugitive, said he was forced to dig the pit.
“This pit, actually that day we didn’t find some work to do, that is why they forced us to dig the pit inside the church, but we first asked about the purpose of the pit, and they told us that it’s a water reservoir, that is why we dug, but I was still asking questions in my mind, that what kind of a church digs a water reservoir inside it? What type of church is that? We dug until break time. After the breakfast, I immediately left outside the fence.” Bangutu said.
Abdu Pai John, a Congolese national, said he rented a hut in the same church compound before he was forced out by conditions set by the pastor.
“What brought me to this house is rent. I frst came as a tenant, but when she asked me where I came from and I told her. She said you are a brother, and you will not pay rent. Let’s stay like brothers, and she gave me a room. I stayed in her room. After one week, she told me not to cook; if you have money, just bring it, and we all prepared our food as one person. I also said this was good. After another week, she said nobody sleeps inside, and people should sleep in one place, that is when I questioned why I should sleep outside with my children. I declined, but my wife accepted and was sleeping outside with them. We stayed like that from January to May. One morning, she gathered everyone in the compound to tell what they dreamt about, and one of the children, eight years old Matole, said he dreams that I, Abdu, insulted the pastor and I was sleeping inside the house because I refused to sleep outside, she came with a stick and started beating me, you can see marks here on my head and my arms, I said mama, why do you beat me like this yet I am a man, it’s better I move out of this house and leave you in your place,” he recounted.
Meanwhile, Charles Amule, an uncle to the detained purported husband of the main suspect, said he was arrested after he came to inquire about the dispute.
“Yesterday, my nephew called me at midnight when I slept off, and when I woke up, I saw his call, then I called and asked Lemi what was happening, he said this woman had beaten Gele and removed two of his teeth, they need us in the morning if not because his car had faults, he would have picked us all to go see the woman that night at half past midnight, that was what we wanted, but his car’s tire got faulted and in the morning he called, we went as a family, our number was seven who today converged here this morning in the house of Gele early at 6:00 am,” he said
King News’s request to interview the detained individual, reportedly the spouse of the prime suspect, was denied by authorities, citing the ongoing investigation as the reason. Attempts to get comments from the police were not immediately successful.
A deep pit dug inside a church in Gumbo Sherikat (Photo Credit, Taban Gabriel, King News)
The term “cult” commonly refers to a group perceived as demanding absolute devotion to a set of beliefs or practices considered deviant by societal norms. These groups are often led by a charismatic figure who exerts significant control over the members.
A notable case of religious cult activity that garnered widespread media attention across Africa and globally occurred in Kenya. Hundreds of bodies were exhumed as part of an investigation that led to the arrest of Pastor Paul Mackenzie, a Kenyan religious leader accused of orchestrating the deaths.