Kenyan Pastor Found Guilty of Sex Abuse in Boston-1
By Harrison Maina, Ajabu Africa News, posted November 18 , 2010 . Updated 11/20, 7pm
BEDFORD, New Hampshire_A Kenyan pastor in Boston has been found guilty of 3 counts related sexually abusing a 21- year old Kenyan girl in his congregation and consequently stopped from conducting any church related business for six months pending review of his case by a panel of judges.
Dr. Rev. Mumbui Karimi, a married father of one and pastor of the largest Kenyan community church in Boston, popularly known as PCEA Ushindi church, was found guilty of three charges which include forcefully grabbing and kissing Miss. Caroline Muthoni Gakuya without her consent, making inappropriate verbal comments about her body and forcefully attempting to kiss her again.
This, the court said, was contrary to the scriptures and the constitution of the USA Presbyterian Church.
Rev. Karimi is also a member of the Kenya Pastors Fellowship (KPF) in New England, an organization of several pastors serving in the Kenyan community churches in the area.
However, the pastor was found not guilty of two other counts of repeatedly making phone calls and unannounced visits both to Miss. Gakuya’s home and place of employment, initiating and or spreading defamatory and false statements regarding the character of Ms. Rahab Change and the accuser's mother, Damaris Scott by suggesting that her recent behavior towards the pastor was as a result of the pastor rejecting her sexual advances and that he said they were paid to tarnish his name by people who wanted to go and take over the running of the PCEA Ushindi church.
The offences were perpetrated on different dates in August and September 2008 when Dr. Karimi was accused to going into Caroline’s apartment in Lowell Mass uninvited.
Delivering the stern orders to cease from conducting any church related business, the Permarnent Justice Commission (PJC), which serves as the court for the Presbyterian Church USA,(website) also ordered Dr. Rev. Karimi to attend appropriate counseling as determined and supervised by the Commitee on Ministry (COM) relating to sexual offences for rehabilitation purposes.
He was also ordered to return all church property in his possession including any, cell phones, keys to vehicles, files and the like to the church located on 452 Chelmsford Street in Lowell by Saturday, November 20, 2010.
During the period of rehabilitation, pastor Karimi was ordered to cease to perform all functions of the Ministry of Word and Sacrament and cease to have any contact with the congregation.In addition, all forms of compensation he is receiving as a minister of the word and sacrament shall cease as of November 30, 2010.
”The censure of Karimi Mumbui is imposed at it’s second highest form listed in the “book of Order” as shown in D-12.0104”, announced the clerk of the Permanent Judicial Commission Jean Beaulieu in the ruling read shortly before midnight on Tuesday by the moderator.
The 14 hour marathon trial, which was open for any member of the public or media, took place at the Bedford Presbyterian church in the small quiet and wooded city of Bedford, NH that served as the court house for the PJC in the presbytery of Northern New England.
Ajabu Africa was present during the entire 14 hour marathon trial after receiving information of the trial from concerned Kenyans as a free community service.
Efforts by the defense to postpone the trial to January of next year due to the upcoming thanks giving holidays and the unavailability of some officials during the month of December were not fruitful. The defense wanted more time to review the new evidence presented.
However, it was agreed that the trial would go to a three hour recess so that the defense can get ample time to review the new evidence, and then come back for a full trial in the afternoon.
When the court resumed at around 3pm, trial lasted until 8.30 pm when the officials, led by the moderator, David Wiley went into the deliberations stage.
According to the clerk of the court, the PJC was represented by 5 members out of the usual 7 at the trial.
The trial was similar to a regular court trial in a civil courthouse, complete with a prosecution and a defense side, a court clerk and a panel of 5 officials presiding over the case and the taking of oath of each witness who took to the stand.
The prosecution side was led by Stephen Quinlan as the appointed prosecutor for the investigative committee that has been investigating the case since late 2009 and 5 witnesses, including the accuser, Miss. Gakuya, her mother, Damaris Scott, and 3 elders and members of the board at the Ushindi church.
According to Quinlan, 6th collaborative witness, Ms. Winnie Wanjiku Thuo of Lynn, Massachusetts declined to appear citing lack of courage but standing by her written statement of having been abused as well by the same pastor at her home in Lynn during a counselling session.
The Defense side consisted of Dr. Karimi himself, his counsel, Mr. Lawrence Mwangi and 6 witnesses who are all elders and some members of the board at the Ushindi church.
Prosecution counsel, Stephen Quinlan |
Defense Counsel, Lawrence Mwangi |
The marathon trial, that started at 9.30 am and ended almost at midnight, was interrupted several times as officials from all sides pulled to the private room occasionally to consult when things got tough.
Firing an opening salvo before the charges were officially read, the defense counsel, Lawrence Mwangi asked the moderator to dismiss the charges on the basis of a mistrial sincePermarnent Justice Commission (PJC) had no jurisdiction to try Dr. Karimi with the alleged offenses since the PJC did not have any jurisdiction over the PCEA Ushindi church.
Mwangi asserted that PCEA Ushindi church did not and has never had a binding relationship with the Presbyterian church of Northern New England which is under the Presbyterian Church USA and so could not be supervised by the presbytery. Click the next pages for more Next >> Pages 1 2 3 4
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Important resource links
Ushindi PCEA Church, Lowell
Presbyterian Church USA
Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN)
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