Church Bishop Sued for Defamation Over WhatsApp Posts by Longtime Member
“The publications against me in our church WhatsApp group have damaged my good reputation within the church, the youth ministry where I serve as a leader, my profession, and both my private and public life,” Aluchio stated.
Simon Aluchio, a member of the Ministry of Repentance and Holiness Church Uasin Gishu branch that is associated with the renowned preacher David Owuor
A senior bishop with the Ministry of Repentance and Holiness Church, Uasin Gishu branch, associated with renowned preacher David Owuor, has been sued by a church member over alleged defamation.
Simon Aluchio, a longtime church member and licensed process server of the High Court of Kenya, filed the lawsuit against Archbishop Jackson Barno at the Eldoret Law Courts. Aluchio accuses the bishop of tarnishing his reputation through posts made on the church’s WhatsApp group, Overseers UG Main Altar.
According to Aluchio, the posts, made on June 5, 2024, at approximately 11:03 p.m., depicted him as “immoral and evil,” claiming he had been suspended from the church. Aluchio alleges that these defamatory statements were made without his consent and have adversely impacted his life, including his intentions of finding a spouse within the church and conducting a wedding.
“The publications against me in our church WhatsApp group have damaged my good reputation within the church, the youth ministry where I serve as a leader, my profession, and both my private and public life,” Aluchio stated.
In one of the posts submitted to the court as evidence, the bishop allegedly directed members to “distance themselves from Aluchio and his ungodly behavior.” Another post read: “He [Aluchio] has been caught openly taking pictures loosely with a girl not even in the church but outside the church dressed in tight trousers. Was in secret but now open in the public.” The bishop also advised members to pray for Aluchio, adding that he needed to learn wisdom and avoid going astray.
Aluchio contends that the bishop’s remarks have irreparably harmed his reputation and reduced his chances of finding a spouse in the church he has attended for over two decades. He seeks accountability through the courts.
In response, Bishop Barno admits to posting the statements but denies any wrongdoing. Through his lawyer, Charles Nyamweya, the bishop asserts that he acted within his mandate as a church leader to uphold the organization’s code of conduct. He criticized Aluchio’s decision to bypass the church’s disciplinary mechanisms, describing the lawsuit as premature.
“I advise you to submit to the church’s disciplinary mechanism, and having exhausted the same, then you can move to the court of law. Otherwise, the threats in your letter are just hot air and pedestrian,” said the bishop through his lawyer.
Represented by lawyer Awuor Otieno, Aluchio maintains that the bishop’s actions were defamatory and unjustified. The case, before Principal Magistrate Peter Ireri, is scheduled for mention on January 14, 2025.
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