An associate of controversial pastor James Maina Ng’ang’a has denied witness claims that ‘the Apostle’ was driving a Range Rover involved in a fatal road traffic accident.
Reverend Ng’ang’a called the NTV report featuring the witnesses an attempt to cast men of God in a bad light. The associate claims Ng’ang’a’s driver was the one who caused the accident, even though more than one witness identified Ng’ang’a as emerging from the driver’s seat after the collision.
“Even if it was Apostle’s driver who caused an accident, why then cook all the lies and broadcast the non-issue report?” he wrote on his Facebook page on Tuesday.
In a more incriminating post, he said he was in Naivasha with Ng’ang’a and other members of Neno Evangelical Church Ministries, which the controversial pastor heads.
“Apostle Dr James Ng’ang’a. Director and CEO of Sunny Hill Hotel, Naivasha. Set up as an example to all churches to have such a long term vision ….putting up structures like this (SUNNY HILL HOTEL) (sic),” he wrote.
“He called all Neno church Nrb Deacons and other church leaders yesterday 25/7/2015 (sic),” he added in a further post accompanied by images of the hotel launch.
However, in the second post the Range Rover Sport that would later be involved in the accident in Limuru constituency on Sunday evening could be seen parked outside the hotel.
The two posts put a dent in the story put forward by Inspector General Joseph Boinett on the ownership of the Range Rover Sport, which had expired insurance cover at the time of the accident.
Boinett said the vehicle belongs to Valley Road Motors, a car hire and sale company, and had been on a test-drive in Naivasha.
Earlier on Tuesday, he stated through his Twitter account that the vehicle was being driven by Simon Kuria, not Ng’ang’a.
“The Range Rover was on General Dealers (KG) licence with valid insurance and was on test drive when the accident occurred,” he said, adding: “The Range Rover was inspected and released. The driver will appear in the Limuru Senior Magistrates Court. He’s (out) on Sh20,000 cash bail.”
The vehicle was moved from Tigoni Police Station, where it was initially taken, to an unknown garage in Nairobi for repairs.
Ng’ang’a is alleged to have been driving the powerful Range Rover Sport when it collided with a Nissan March. The driver of the Nissan, Mercy Njeri, 38, died while being transferred from Tigoni Hospital to Kenyatta National Referral Hospital for specialised treatment on Monday. Her husband is admitted at Tigoni subcounty hospital with injuries including fractures to his legs.
Witnesses said the Range Rover was being driven on the wrong side of Nakuru-Nairobi highway, forcing other vehicles off the road. They said the driver of the Range Rover, whom they identified as Ng’ang’a, got out of the car and into one behind it, which then sped off.
The injured husband’s father has alluded to foul play, saying the two vehicles were neither inspected at the same time, nor by the same official.
“We do not know what is happening and how the investigations are being done. We feel someone is hiding some important information so that we do not get compensated,” Peter Ndung’u said.
“We were shocked to see the Range Rover being carried by a breakdown and to learn that its inspection was done. Their driver was not injured but she is dead and her husband is still at the hospital.”
