Pastor James Maina Ng’ang’a of Neno Evangelism Centre is a man that needs little introduction, having made the news on numerous occasions albeit in controversial fashion.
Ever since he started his ministry in the early 90s, fresh from serving a prison term, the pastor has always courted controversy.
Here are seven occasions in which the pastor made the headlines in contentious style.
1. The mysterious double accident at the same spot
Pastor Ng’ang’a has been involved in two accidents just a few metres apart in terms of the location in which they happened.
In July 2015, the Neno Evangelism leader was on the spot over a road accident that involved his Range Rover Sport and a private vehicle in which a woman – Mercy Njeri, was killed.
His car was reportedly driving on the wrong side of the highway when the accident occurred.
In a bizarre coincidence, another one of his luxurious cars was towed to the Karen Police Station after being involved in yet another accident just a few metres off the scene of the previous accident.
2. Dramatic separation from Loise Murugi Maina
Pastor Ng’ang’a was involved in a theatrical separation from his 2nd wife – Ms Loise Maina. The man of the cloth had re-married back on June 30, 2012, after his first wife passed away.
However, the relationship turned sour causing Ms Maina to air their dirty linen in public.
In a child support file submitted at the Milimani Law Courts on September 2, 2014, she accused the pastor of being a drunkard, an adulterer and physically abusive towards her.
The estranged wife was reportedly seeking Ksh 535,000 in child support.
3. Charged with threatening Linus Kaikai
The head of Neno Evangelism was recently charged with threatening to kill Citizen TV journalist, Linus Kaikai.
According to the charge sheet, Pastor Ng’ang’a was facing two counts;
1. Uttering words that constituted as threats to kill Linus Kaikai
2. While referring to himself as the Chief General Commander, using words that indicated or implied that it was or might be desirable to bring death or physical injury to the Citizen TV journalist.
He has since denied all charges and consequently released on Ksh 200,000 cash bail.
4. The Rose Muhando exorcism saga
A video of the pastor exorcising demons from renown musician, Rose Muhando, went viral across various media platforms such as YouTube.
In the clip, pastor Ng’ang’a holds the ‘demons’ (10 demons) in one grip and throws them out of her in gripping fashion.
While the man of God was doing the exorcism, Muhando who had a bandaged right hand, fell to the ground and started rolling with the ‘demons’ in her stating what appeared to be accusations against Muhando’s former manager Alex Msama.
Many accused the two of staging the entire event in order to garner more followers, with the singer on the end one scandal after another over the last few years.
5. Accused of Bribing a judge
On May 3, 2018, the pastor was allegedly introduced to a magistrate, by a former police officer at a Java outlet in Kileleshwa, where the magistrate was offered Ksh7 million to acquit Ng’ang’a of charges relating to an accident he was involved in that left one Mercy Njeri dead.
According to Peter Ndung’u – the victim's father, the pastor had sent emissaries after the accident for an out of court settlement.
6. Disappears With Businessman's Rent
Back in 2018, businessman Wickson Njoroge Mwathi accused the apostle of conning him Ksh3 Million.
Mr Mwathi says he had given the man of God at least Ksh3.6 million in cash at his office located at the Neno Evangelism Center.
The money was meant for a house lease deal that would see the preacher rent out his 7-bedroom house to Mwathi for a period of six months.
According to local dailies, Mr Mwathi says the preacher dishonored their agreement soon after receiving the amount paid to him on April 6, 2016.
On his part, the preacher stated that Mr Mwathi was lying, as he was given the key to the house by an agent.
7. Charge with issuing threats to a city-based lawyer
The threats which are contained in a video, show the pastor threatening to ensure that lawyer Joel Mbaluka defecated on himself on his trousers before suffering a gruesome death.
Mr Mbaluka’s wife was a Neno Evangelism congregant and during an un-dated service, she approached the pulpit for prayers.
In her testimony, she mentioned that her husband had scoffed at her for attending the Pastor Nga’ang’a church and that is when all hell broke loose, leading to his inflammatory statements.
Mbaluka had appealed to the police for protection from the controversial preacher.
