Vihiga cleric handed 9-month jail term for land fraud

Bishop John Mweresi, the head of the African Israel Nineveh Church, was on Monday afternoon found guilty on four counts, including forging documents and acquiring land falsely.  

Mweresi,  who appeared calm as the verdict was read, was given the option of paying a Ksh. 280,000 fine - Ksh. 70,000 for each count - failure to which he will serve nine months per count, the sentences running concurrently.

Before the judgment, the cleric had spent three weeks in prison remand after his bail was cancelled, citing flight risk

The courtroom was filled with church followers.

The case, which has been in court for seven years, has seen numerous adjournments and witness withdrawals, fueling tension among followers of the church.

The court advised Mweresi to file an appeal within 14 days if dissatisfied with the verdict.