Kenyan pastor shot to death in church building

MOMBASA, Kenya — Christians at Vikwantani Redeemed Gospel Church in Mombasa, Kenya, arrived for worship Oct. 20 only to learn that their pastor had been shot to death in their building the night before.

Pastor Charles Matole was found slumped in a plastic seat, a Bible in his hand, blood streaming from his head.
“His skull was badly damaged,” a church member said.

The pastor had mentioned that he had received threatening text messages. The threats did not begin until the previous week, after the pastor had led several revival meetings in the coastal city’s Kisauni area. Many people converted to the Christian faith during the meetings, sources said. Police had reportedly dismissed the texts as fraudulent messages from imprisoned criminals.

Also on Oct. 20, another pastor was killed in Kilifi, 31 miles north of Mombasa. Ebrahim Kidata of East African Pentecostal Church appeared to have been strangled and left in some bushes, authorities said. The murders come on the heels of rioting in Mombasa by Muslims enraged at the killing of sheikh Ibrahim Omar and three others on a road near Mombasa. A church leader in Mombasa said Muslims have accused churches of being “quiet” about the murders of Omar and his predecessor.