Court has dismissed an application by controversial Bishop James Maina Ng'ang'a seeking to bar the media from covering his case where he is charged with obtaining ksh3.6 million from Wickson Njoroge Mwanthi by falsely pretending that he will lease him a residential premise in Karen Nairobi.
Milimani Magistrate Daniel Ndugi declined the application by his lawyer saying the media has a constitutional right to relay information to the public so long as they do so responsibly.
"I cannot stop the media from doing their work," Ndugi said.
Ng'ang'a is charged with obtaining ksh3.6 million in April 2016 at Neno Evangelism Church office along Haille Selassie Avenue Nairobi with intent to defraud.
During today's hearing, Wickson Njoroge Mwanthi the complainant told the court how an agent directed him to the Apostle assuring that the residential house in Karen belonged to him.
He told Magistrate Daniel Ndugi that the caretaker called him after two weeks and told him that pastor Ng'ang'a had agreed on a rent of ksh450,000 per month.
"I called my lawyer Harrison Kairu and told him to prepare a lease agreement before going to meet the bishop. He was then told to pay a deposit of two months and six months rent all amounting to ksh3.6M," the complainant said.
The prosecutor, Abel Omariba Gichana asked the court to stand down the witness to allow them record a statement from the complainant's lawyer and to put their house in order.
The court allowed the application and adjourned the matter to a further date.
