Pastor denies driving crash vehicle amid reports he was treated in city

Pastor James Ng’ang'a on Wednesday denied that he was driving a Range Rover involved in an accident that led to the death of a woman two weeks ago.

Mr Ng’ang’a, a TV preacher and founder of the Neno Evangelism Centre, was reported by eyewitnesses to have been driving the vehicle at the time of the accident.

Speaking through his lawyers Wednesday, Mr Ng’ang’a claimed he was “shocked at the allegations” and strongly denied being at the scene of the accident.

“We are exploring our options, one of which is to sue the Nation for publishing lies,” said his lawyer, Mr Assa Nyakundi.

Mr Ng’ang’a has not been formally charged with any crime, the lawyer maintained, and refused to answer questions relating to the preacher’s whereabouts on the day of the accident.

Police said they interviewed Pastor Ng’ang’a yesterday and took his statement, a full 10 days after the accident which claimed the life of Mercy Njeri.

TREATED AT KAREN HOSPITAL

However, speaking to a source familiar with the investigation, the Nation was informed that police believe Pastor Ng’ang’a was treated at Karen Hospital after the accident, which took place in Limuru.

The source said investigators believed he was picked up in town by a close female relative and rushed to the hospital, where he refused to be admitted and asked to receive treatment as an outpatient.

The Nation spoke to Karen Hospital to inquire whether Pastor Ng’ang’a received any treatment there, but the hospital said it could not comment on the basis of doctor-patient confidentiality.

The source said investigators believed that Pastor Ng’ang’a has injuries on his neck and right arm.

Investigators also believe that after the accident, Pastor Ng’ang’a got out of the driver’s seat and into another vehicle belonging to Pastor David Muriithi, the Senior Pastor of House of Grace Church in Lang’ata.

The vehicle sped towards Nairobi, closely followed by another driven by Inspector of Police Nzuli Nzioka. Mr Nzioka is reported to have acted as some kind of unofficial bodyguard for Pastor Ng’ang’a.

He is also believed to have been in the company of a man identified only as Mr Ngige and another unnamed police officer.

COVER-UP UNEARTHED

One of the questions being asked is whether at the time of the accident, Pastor Ng’ang’a was trying to behave like an important politician on the road, bullying other motorists with his “motorcade”, complete with two “chase cars” — a black Range Rover and a Subaru.

On Wednesday, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Ipoa) said it would take over investigations against police officers who handled the accident.

Ipoa will, however, move in only if Inspector-General of Police Joseph Boinnet does not act “satisfactorily” against officers found to have broken the law, according to its chairman, Macharia Njeru.

Mercy Njeri died on July 26 and an investigation that followed unearthed a cover-up by officers, citing them for forging documents, tampering with crucial evidence and making false records in a bid to hide the truth.

Investigators discovered that the register of seized vehicles had been forged and an inspection of the red Range Rover involved in the crash may never have happened.

The officers also appeared to be in a great hurry to release the vehicle to its alleged owners.

On Wednesday, Traffic Commandant Charlton Murithi said he had taken over the investigations.

The Assistant Inspector-General of Police said the new investigation seeks to cover a wide range of allegations, including corruption.

WENT TO KAREN APARTMENT AFTER TREATMENT

Sources familiar with the police investigation so far said Wednesday that after being treated, Pastor Ng’ang’a went to a furnished apartment near Galleria Mall in Karen.

One of the allegations under investigation, according to the sources, is whether Pastor Ng’ang’a approached a Mr Munga, now the head of television at his church, to present himself to the police as the person who was driving the red Range Rover at the time of the accident.

Investigators also want to establish whether Pastor Ng’ang’a later learnt that Mr Munga had told another church member in confidence that he was not keen to present himself as the driver.

Police are also interested in establishing if Pastor Ng’ang’a had promised assistance to anyone who presented himself as the driver, including by paying the fine.

Mr Simon Maina Kuria, a resident of Rongai and a business associate of a Mr Ng’ang’a, the proprietor of Valley Road Motors, the apparent owners of the Range Rover, has been charged as the driver of the accident vehicle.