From pulpit to police cell: Inside Bishop Ng'ang'a's love scandal

Archbishop Harrison Ng’ang’a is widely regarded as one of the most prominent figures remaining in Kenya’s Pentecostal movement.

That reputation is now being tested by explosive allegations of a sexual affair that have spread rapidly across social media over the past week; claims that, if proven, could seriously damage both his public standing and the trust of the thousands of followers who look to him for spiritual guidance..

In a dramatic twist, Sarah Muthoni Abuya, the woman at the centre of the alleged sexual affair claims against Archbishop Harrison Ng’ang’a, was arrested after appearing before the Makadara Law Courts for the hearing of the defamation case filed against her by the founder of Christian Foundation Fellowship (CFF) Church. Her cash bail was revoked on the spot, and she was taken into custody before being driven to Lang’ata Women’s Prison.

The development marks a dramatic escalation in a case that has gripped the country since Muthoni first went public with allegations of a romantic relationship with the Archbishop, claims Ng’ang’a has contested through the courts.

‘I don’t know’

Reached briefly by this reporter as she was being led away from the court precincts, Muthoni said she had not been given any explanation as to why her cash bail had been revoked. “Yeah, they have revoked the cash bail, and now they are taking me back to jail,” she said, her voice steady despite the circumstances.

Asked whether she knew the reason behind the sudden reversal, Muthoni said no one had told her anything.

She was, however, defiant, insisting that the setback would not deter her from pursuing the case. “But tell them I am not afraid, I will fight to the end,” she said. “They are taking me to Lang’ata Remand,” she added, moments before the line went quiet.

Efforts to establish the specific grounds on which the bail was revoked were ongoing by the time of publication, and court officials at Makadara had not issued a statement on the matter.

Muthoni had previously told The Nairobian that she stood by her account in full and that she was determined to see the case through, telling us just days ago that the matter was “active at the Makadara Law Courts” and that Ng’ang’a was expected to appear for the hearing in person.

Muthoni first went public with her allegations in an interview with a local blogger on the TikTok channel Musa wa Mungu, claiming she had been involved in a romantic relationship with Ng’ang’a, and that the matter came to light after congregants and, eventually, the Archbishop’s wife discovered it.

According to Muthoni, she met Ng’ang’a shortly after completing high school when she joined CFF Church on Bunyala Road.

Inappropriate advances

She alleges that the pastor began making inappropriate advances towards her, including unwanted touching during midweek deliverance services, before the relationship allegedly turned romantic.

She claims that, from 2023, the pastor began offering her financial support, including help with school fees, and that he later sent her money regularly via M-Pesa, requested private photos and videos from her, and at one point asked how she would react if she became pregnant with his child.

Muthoni alleges that the relationship became public after word of it reached members of the CFF congregation, who passed the information on to the Archbishop’s children, and that it persisted until the Archbishop’s wife discovered WhatsApp conversations between the two.

Ng’ang’a is involved in a defamation case against Muthoni, who alleges that he bribed police officers to intimidate her and orchestrate her arrest.

Muthoni alleges that, in an effort to discredit her and suppress the allegations, Ng’ang’a used his influence and money to have fabricated charges brought against her, resulting in her being held in remand on an earlier occasion.

She says she was released after her family raised funds for her bail through a fundraiser.

Muthoni maintains that the experience of facing what she describes as trumped-up charges motivated her to come forward publicly and pursue legal action of her own: a defamation suit against Ng’ang’a that has been before the Makadara Law Courts, supported by M-Pesa records and private messages she says she has filed as evidence.

Today’s arrest, which came as she appeared for the hearing of that very case, has raised fresh questions about how the matter will now proceed.

A second woman has also made her own allegations against Ng’ang’a in a separate viral video shared on social media, describing him as arrogant, proud and manipulative.

She said she was baptised at CFF Church and was once an active member before the two had a falling out. While she did not allege a personal relationship with the Archbishop, she claimed that his public image as a principled man of God does not reflect his conduct behind the scenes, going so far as to allege that he is involved in dark powers.

She claimed he had destroyed many lives and that it was only a matter of time before he was exposed publicly. “You have destroyed many souls,” she says in the video, adding that “more people would eventually come forward to expose him.”

Reactions from the clergy

The allegations have divided opinion among Kenyan clergy. Some have called for independent investigations, while others have publicly defended Ng’ang’a, framing the claims as an attack orchestrated by forces hostile to the Church.

Pastor Joseph Bundi said he does not associate with anyone who conducts disputes on social media, regardless of their status, but added that this does not give their followers licence to make accusations rooted in bitterness under the guise of “prophecy”.

Nelius Gititi invoked scripture in Ng’ang’a’s defence, stating that no weapon formed against a servant of God would prosper and condemning those speaking against him.

Apostle Johnstone struck a more measured tone, noting that pastors are human and sin like anyone else, which is why they too must repent.

He cautioned against defending Ng’ang’a if the allegations turned out to be true, arguing that judgement ultimately belongs to God.

Kassajja urged restraint on both sides, arguing that if the allegations were false, they should be left to God to resolve and, if true, that was not something the public could determine outside a fair hearing.

He cautioned against using scripture reflexively to defend fallible human beings and against the public passing judgement on matters it was not privy to.

The Nairobian reached out to Archbishop Ng’ang’a through his known office line and later contacted him directly by phone to seek his comment on the allegations and the Church’s response.

The calls went unanswered. After learning that the caller was a Standard Media journalist, he declined to comment and disconnected the call.

Follow-up text and WhatsApp messages, both of which showed as delivered, had not received a response by the time of publication.

CFF Church had also not responded to our queries. This publication will continue to seek comment from Ng’ang’a and the Church regarding the latest developments.

Church founders who faced sexual misconduct allegations

Kenya has witnessed several church leaders embroiled in sexual misconduct allegations, some of which ended up damaging their pastoral careers.

One prominent figure is Archbishop Arthur Kitonga of Redeemed Gospel Church, who, in 2017, faced allegations of sexual misconduct from a former female church member.

Archbishop Kitonga strongly denied the claims, and he was acquitted by the courts due to insufficient evidence.

While the allegations attracted considerable media attention, he continued to lead the Church, although the controversy affected his public image.

Joe Kayo, who founded Deliverance Church in the 1970s and is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of the Pentecostal-charismatic movement in East Africa, faced allegations of adultery and financial impropriety at the height of his ministry in the late 1970s.

The accusations triggered a major conflict with the Church’s board, culminating in his resignation as leader of Deliverance Church in 1977.

Although the allegations were never resolved through a criminal court process, they effectively ended his leadership of the denomination he had founded.

Kayo later relocated to the United States before returning to Kenya, where he established Christian Family Church and continued in ministry independently. Years later, he reconciled with the Deliverance Church leadership before his death in 2023.

Another case that attracted public attention involved Pastor Magodo, a former senior minister associated with Prophet David Owuor’s ministry. He became embroiled in allegations of sexual misconduct that generated widespread discussion within church circles and the media.

The controversy effectively ended his prominence within the ministry, although the allegations did not result in a criminal conviction.

As with many such cases, the public impact on his ministerial reputation far exceeded the legal outcome.