Justice and explanations are now being sought by the family of a 31-year-old man who was allegedly beaten to death by the pastor and other Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) churchgoers in Homa Bay County.
On December 21, 2023, Bernard Otieno Anah was killed in Kagan village, Rangwe Constituency, on suspicion of stealing 8 kg of beans and maize, valued at around Ksh. 2,000, from the Rabondo SDA church during the Pathfinder Camporee of the West Kenya Union Conference.
His wife described how the local assistant chief and the church pastor, surrounded by their congregation, bombarded their home on that day, dragged the deceased outside, and then frog marched him to the house of worship.
She recounted that after being rendered unconscious by severe beatings, they brought him to a local marketplace, where he was ultimately put to death.
On January 18, 2024, Anah was buried at home. His relatives, led by his cousin, Dr. Davji Atellah, Secretary General of the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU), promised to follow up on the case until justice had been served.
“It is imperative that we acknowledge the grave consequences of such actions. There is no evidence to suggest that mob injustice perpetrated by the church members effectively minimizes crimes in our villages. On the contrary, it perpetuates a cycle of violence and destruction
We strongly believe that our church leaders play a pivotal role in spreading messages of hope, protecting their buildings and places of worship, and fostering an environment of justice and harmony but not a place where any suspect is sent to heaven before their time. Additionally, local chiefs are tasked with restoring order and ensuring that our communities coexist peacefully,” said Dr. Atellah.
He added: “As we mourn Anah and bury him, we want to notify the authorities and those involved in the killing that we will pursue transformative justice, we will bring the accusers to the law and take the law to the community. Justice to Anah is justice to his wife, children, parents, and neighbours.”
