A Kenyan pastor has opened up about a painful chapter of his life, recounting how an ordinary day spent preparing for an overnight prayer service turned into a nightmare that saw him arrested, convicted of defilement and sent to prison for a 15-year sentence.
Bishop Gideon Mulwa of Salvation Joy Gospel Church says his life took an unexpected turn after he was accused of defiling a young girl in a case he maintains was fabricated by people he describes as business rivals.
According to Mulwa, the events unfolded on a day when he had been making preparations for a church overnight prayer meeting, commonly known as a kesha. He claims that a young girl suddenly appeared in his life and that the accusations against him came as a complete shock.
The bishop says he had taken the girl somewhere to work that day and was on his way to the police station to speak with the Officer Commanding Station (OCS) when he received news that a defilement complaint had been lodged against him.
He was subsequently arrested and detained for five days, a period he describes as unlawful and emotionally draining.
Mulwa further alleges that on the second day of his detention, he was approached and asked to pay KSh70,000 to secure his release. He says he rejected the demand, insisting that he was innocent and had no reason to pay anyone to escape a case he believed he had not committed.
His troubles escalated when he was arraigned at Kibera Magistrates’ Court, where he denied the allegations. He was later remanded at Industrial Area Prison as the case proceeded through the courts.
The preacher maintains that the evidence presented against him was insufficient, arguing that investigators had not conducted medical or forensic examinations that could establish his involvement in the alleged offence.
He also claims that witness accounts changed during the proceedings, leaving him confused about how the court eventually arrived at a guilty verdict.
Despite maintaining his innocence throughout the trial, the magistrate convicted him and handed him a 15-year prison sentence.
The case attracted considerable media attention, with Mulwa recalling how television cameras and newspaper headlines portrayed him as a pastor who had allegedly betrayed the very people who trusted him.
For a man who had spent years preaching the gospel, the public humiliation was particularly devastating.
The painful journey to Kamiti Maximum Security Prison
Mulwa says the most difficult moment came on the evening of his sentencing when he was transferred in a government vehicle to Kamiti Maximum Security Prison.
He recalls arriving at the notorious facility alone, uncertain about what awaited him behind its heavily guarded walls.
Upon admission, he underwent a strip search, an experience he describes as deeply humiliating. Still struggling to comprehend how his life had changed so dramatically, he later watched television reports covering his own conviction and sentencing.
The news quickly spread among inmates, some of whom began mocking him because of his identity as a church leader.
According to Mulwa, he endured constant insults and ridicule from fellow prisoners, including hardened criminals who found his predicament an opportunity to taunt him.
What followed was a difficult three-year period during which he says he struggled to preserve his dignity, faith and hope while dealing with the psychological effects of incarceration.
However, he was not completely abandoned.
Members of his church continued visiting him, offering encouragement and reminding him that his congregation had not forgotten him. Some of those who visited would later become pastors serving in different branches of the church.
His wife, who was working in Mombasa at the time, also remained firmly by his side. She regularly sent him basic necessities and occasionally travelled with their son to visit him.
Mulwa says his wife’s unwavering support became one of his greatest sources of strength, describing her loyalty as something that helped him retain his humanity despite the difficult conditions behind bars.
How he fought his way to freedom
Rather than surrendering to despair, Mulwa decided to use his time in prison to study the law and understand the legal processes that had led to his conviction.
He began gathering legal materials, studying court procedures and preparing arguments for an appeal.
Having developed deep distrust in the legal representation he had encountered, he decided to handle the appeal himself rather than depend on a lawyer.
He eventually prepared handwritten submissions challenging the conviction and presented his arguments before High Court Judge Mohammed Warsame.
For Mulwa, the day the appeal was determined became one of the most defining moments of his life.
The High Court overturned his conviction and set aside the sentence, effectively restoring his freedom after years of living behind prison walls.
The decision brought an end to a painful chapter that had cost him his freedom, damaged his reputation and disrupted his family and ministry.
Although he walked out of prison, Mulwa says the experience left wounds that have not completely healed.
He maintains that the years he lost, the public humiliation and the opportunities that disappeared cannot easily be recovered.
Nevertheless, the bishop says he has chosen forgiveness over revenge, publicly declaring that he has forgiven the people he believes were responsible for framing him.
His story is a painful reminder of how a criminal accusation, a court battle and imprisonment can transform an individual’s life, leaving consequences that may continue long after freedom is restored.
For Mulwa, the greatest victory was not simply walking out of prison, but finding the strength to rebuild his life after an experience he says nearly destroyed everything he had worked for.
