Pastor jailed after stranger who allegedly gifted him car changed tune, accused him of stealing

Josephat Mugo Njeri, widely known as Pastor Victor, in Nakuru City of Kenya has been remanded in jail after a stranger who allegedly gifted him a car turned around to accuse him of stealing it.

Pastor Victor thought he had been gifted a car to help his ministry, but it became a nightmare that has refused to go away for years.

Just as he was beginning to enjoy his new “blessing,” the “blessor” changed tune and accused him of stealing the vehicle.

Just when he thought it was a simple case that could be solved amicably, he found himself behind bars, a development he has yet to accept fully.

What began as a moment of unexpected generosity for him has unravelled into a cautionary tale of trust, betrayal and a justice system that moved faster than his defence.

According to TUKO.co, Njeri told Itugi TV that his faith journey steadily grew; five years later, he found love within his congregation, marrying a fellow church member.

He quickly rose through the ranks and was ordained as an evangelist before eventually qualifying to become a pastor.

After serving under a mentor, he was gifted equipment to start his own ministry, a move he says stirred tension and resentment among former church members who questioned his decision to branch out.

But it was in 2021 that his life took a dramatic and unexpected turn.

Out of the blue, a stranger contacted him with what seemed like a blessing: a Toyota Probox vehicle to support his ministry work.

According to Pastor Victor, the man explained that the logbook would be handed over after three weeks, once an outstanding loan tied to the car had been cleared.

“At the time, I saw no reason to doubt him,” the pastor recalls. “I believed it was a genuine act of kindness.”

For three months, the vehicle became part of his daily ministry as he waited for the paperwork, until one night, during a church vigil, it disappeared.

Shaken, he reported the theft to the man who had given him the car. To his surprise, the response was calm, almost indifferent.

Days later, the situation took a darker twist when the same individual summoned him to a police station, this time demanding payment for the vehicle, which he claimed was worth KSh 450,000.

Before the pastor could make sense of the demand, detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) stepped in, and the narrative shifted dramatically.

Instead of being treated as a victim, Pastor Victor found himself accused of stealing the very car he believed had been gifted to him.

Charged in court with theft, he scrambled to defend himself, paying over KSh 25,000 to a lawyer. But in a devastating blow, the lawyer reportedly failed to file the necessary paperwork, leaving his case in disarray.

As legal fees mounted and debts piled up, the pressure became unbearable. With no adequate defence presented and financial strain closing in, including the threat of auction, Pastor Victor was ultimately remanded to prison.