Ng’ang’a church accounts frozen as trader seeks back Sh2mn ‘gift’

 AUGUST 27, 2015

The High Court has frozen the accounts after businessman Geoffrey Ndung’u sued the Evangelist, accusing him of swindling him of Sh2.3 million/FILE

NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 27 – A day after lawyer Cliff Ombeta withdrew as Apostle James Ng’ang’a’s counsel for non-payment among other concerns, it has emerged that the bank accounts of his church Neno Evangelism Centre have been frozen.

The High Court has frozen the accounts after businessman Geoffrey Ndung’u sued the Evangelist, accusing him of swindling him of Sh2.3 million.

In his court papers, Ndung’u says he moved the funds from his account to one of Neno’s in April of 2012 after receiving prayers from Ng’ang’a for mental problems.

Ndung’u says he was on medication for a psychotic break when he transferred the funds and was therefore not in his right mind.

He says efforts by himself and his family to have the funds returned to them have borne no fruit, leading to the suit.

In his replying affidavit, Ng’ang’a denied any knowledge of the funds being transferred into his church’s account but argues that in the event they were, it was received as a gift and gifts are not refundable.

“If such money was deposited in the church’s account, it was deposited without coercion, inducement and was an absolute gift,” the affidavit reads.

The case is slated for mention on September 22.

Ng’ang’a has in the past few weeks made headlines after being accused of causing the death of Mercy Njeri by dangerous driving.

He is out on a Sh500,000 cash bail and on Wednesday got some form of reprieve when the court refused to order a DNA sample from him.

READ: Lawyer Ombeta abandons Pastor Ng’ang’a

He has challenged the charge and the associated charges of conspiring to defeat justice and providing false information to a public officer in the High Court.

It’s alleged that on July 26, while driving a Range Rover, he collided with a car which Njeri was driving.

He has also been charged with fleeing the scene of the accident.

On August 20, Ng’ang’a formally denied the charges before Senior Resident Magistrate Timothy ole Tanchu at the Limuru Law Courts.

READ: Pastor James Ng’ang’a denies fatal accident charges

The State counsel had sought to have Ng’ang’a compelled to undergo DNA testing in a bid to match a blood sample taken from the driver’s seat of the Range Rover to him.

Ng’ang’a has denied being behind the wheel of the car when the accident occurred.