Police officers in Malindi have arrested a pastor in the Chakama area over what the authorities suspect could be religious radicalisation.
The pastor, who has been identified as Abel Kahindi Gandi, is now detained at the Malindi Police Station following the closure of his New Foundation Church, where police believe he was indoctrinating his followers against seeking medical attention when sick.
“A Kilifi-based pastor has today been arraigned on a miscellaneous application for the offence of radicalisation contrary to section 12 (d) of the Prevention of Terrorism Act of 2012,” DCI said in a statement on Friday, April 25, 2025.
Indoctrination
“His arrest by a multi-agency team and subsequent arraignment resulted from his activities at New Foundation Church located at Chakama location, where he was found to be indoctrinating his followers,” the sleuths said.
Adding: “Among other teachings, his followers were taught not to attend any hospital when sick but to climb a tree believed to be sacred and located within the church compound for them to receive their healing.”
During his arrest, police also indicated that Gandi was administering healing water to his congregants—water that he fetched from his well and resold at Ksh200 a litre.
“Additionally, it was established that the pastor also used to administer water known as ‘maji ya uzima‘, believed to have healing effects, and that was fetched from his well with a litre retailing at Ksh200,” DCI noted.
Exorcise demons
Also, police officers investigating the claims also revealed that Gandi would exorcise demons from his followers by ordering them to climb a tree planted at the centre of his church.
Police believe that two faithfuls of the church have died in relation to Gandi’s activities, while the pastor maintains that no congregant has died directly from his prayer sessions.
“I have not killed anyone because my work is in line with the gospel as instructed to me by God. I am submitting to the government to conduct its independent investigations to establish the facts surrounding the incident,” Gandi said during his arrest.
“No one has lost their lives during my service to them inside this church. However, there was this one congregant who once visited the church and died the following day while I was yet to arrive at the church,” he added.
Police have been granted permission to detain Gandi for 10 days as they piece together evidence linking him to any wrongdoing.
The arrest comes just days after police raided a church in Rongo Sub-County in Migori County and rescued dozens of congregants who were found emaciated and frail.