Pastor Geoffrey Maingi of Redeemed Gospel church found dead in a woman's house

Wednesday, February 19th 2014, By CYRUS OMBATI

Nairobi, Kenya: A popular pastor with a protestant church collapsed and died in a woman’s house in mysterious circumstances in Buruburu estate, Nairobi. The body of pastor Geoffrey Maingi of Redeemed Gospel church’s New Life Temple Church in Nairobi was found in the woman’s bedroom after he had died over unknown reasons on Tuesday afternoon, police and witnesses said. Maingi, 70, had driven into the compound of a worshiper for what the woman termed as a prayer session when he died. The woman who is aged 40 told police that Maingi had visited her house for a prayer session when he suddenly collapsed and died. “He has been coming for prayers in my house and apart from him being my pastor, he is my friend and that is why he comes for prayer sessions,” the woman said at the scene. The woman had separated with her husband last year over domestic differences. She was questioned and released as investigations into the death continue. Buruburu OCPD Charles Kerich said they were yet to know the cause of the death. “We will know what caused the death after carrying out a post-mortem exercise on the body. We cannot speculate for now,” he said. He added that they carried several samples of evidence from the house that they will test as part of efforts to establish the cause of his death. The death attracted a huge crowd outside the house amid claims he may have died out of a heart attack caused by sexual enhancement tablets. Other followers from the church arrived at the scene and drove off Maingi’s car to avoid being filmed by journalists.