Siaya: 3 Linked To Cultic Practices Arrested After Refusing To Take Ailing Children To Hospital

• Three suspects from Rarieda Constituency allegedly refused to take their close family members to the hospital over cultic beliefs
• Police raided the homes of the suspects and rescued eight people, among them five children who were in critical conditions
• Those arrested are accused of wilfully neglecting their ailing relative claiming it was against the teachings of the Christo Church.

Rarieda - Police in Siaya have arrested three people for allegedly engaging in cultic practices that left their family members critically ill.

Citizen Digital reported that Morris Aloo Oyusu, Elizabeth Awino Ochieng and Josephine Atieno Omollo were arrested for refusing to take their sick children to the hospital.

5 children rescued in Rarieda

The trio, allegedly wilfully neglected to take their sick children to the hospital, claiming it was against the teachings of the Christo Church.

"After receiving a tip off from members of public, the chief of East Asembo location visited the family of one David Owego who had been reported to have refused to take his extremely sick children to hospital as it was allegedly against his church (Christo Church) doctrines," a police report stated.

When the police raided the homes of the suspects, they found four family members seriously sick and were not taking any medications.

According to the police report, Owego's wife, Elizabeth, and their three children, aged two, four and six years, were found in a debilitated state.

"Police officers visited the home and established that four of his family members were extremely sick and did not seek medical attention," the report added.

Police later raided the home of Joseph Omollo and also found his wife and their two children aged two and six, also seriously ill.

"Maurice Aloo Oyusu was arrested for offering basic education in an unregistered institution contrary to section 76 [1] [2] and section 92 [a] of basic education act while Elizabeth Awino and Josephine Atieno were arrested for willfully neglecting to take a sick child to a health facility contrary to section 16 (7) of the children act no. 29 of 2022," reads the police report.

Graves found at Father John Pesa's church

Meanwhile, in Kisumu County, four graveyards were discovered by detectives in the precincts of the Holy Ghost Coptic Church.

The probe leading to the discovery was undertaken by officers drawn from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), and health officers from the Kisumu county government.

They were acting on claims that the mentally challenged were being detained in the church while those dying were getting buried there secretly.

Father John Pesa, who is the presiding cleric of the church, confirmed the graves within the compound but clarified they are for church volunteers.

He disputed the assertion that the fallen faithful of the church had been buried there secretly.

"If any death occurs here, the body of the deceased is taken home for burial. Even if our priests pass away, they are buried at home immediately after the mass is held here in the church and that is what we do for the believers in this church," Pesa is quoted by Taifa Leo as having said.