ACK Bishop says homosexuality claims were made up by rival

What you need to know:

  • ACK Archdeacon John Njogu Gachau told Labour Court Judge that he had vied for the position in the church elections in 2014 which Bishop Joseph Kagunda won.
  • The Rev Gachau had served for 18 years and become vice-chairman of the diocese synod and chairman of the board of examining chaplains.

One of the three Anglican priests accused of homosexuality told a court on Wednesday that he was falsely accused by the Mt Kenya West Diocese bishop because he was his rival for the position.

Anglican Church of Kenya Archdeacon John Njogu Gachau told Employment and Labour Relations Court Judge Byram Ongaya that he had vied for the position in the church elections in 2014 that Bishop Joseph Kagunda won.

“I believe it is for this reason that he fabricated these allegations, accusing me of being a homosexual, just to tarnish my good reputation and dignity, which I had spent a long time building, so that he can remove me from the church,” he said.

The Rev Gachau had served for 18 years and had become vice-chairman of the diocese synod and chairman of the board of examining chaplains.

On Wednesday, he told the court that he was summoned by Bishop Kagunda on August 20 last year and told to attend a meeting the next day at St Peter’s Cathedral Church in Nyeri.

On arrival just before 8am, he found other archdeacons there. He said: “I was led into the meeting room and everyone was looking at me with suspicion.

“After some small talk, I was informed that the meeting was called by a tribunal set up by Bishop Kagunda and that it involved me.”

The chairman of the tribunal then informed him of allegations that a 21-year-old man called Edward Karanja Irungu had reported that one night in December 2013 the two had engaged in homosexual acts.

The tribunal told him that if he admitted the charge, the issue would end there and the bishop would make the final decision.

If he denied it, there would be a hearing where witnesses would testify but he would not be allowed to call witnesses.

“I told them I would not accept things I did not know,” said the Rev Gachau.

The tribunal invited the young man, who was told to narrate the allegations.

Through lawyers Moraa Onsare and David Onsare, the Rev James Maina Maigua and the Rev Paul Mwangi Warui, who were also suspended, told the court yesterday that the tribunal told them to testify against the Rev Gachau.

Their suspension letters said they were homosexuals.

The case will be mentioned on June 10.