Pastor beaten up over church funds

NAIROBI (DPA): Sunday morning prayers at the Soul Winning Salvation Church in Nairobi ended in chaos when the congregation beat up their pastor in a row over church funds, the Kenya Times reported on Monday.

It said the attackers -- mostly women -- ululated and wailed as they pounced on Pastor James Kiratu. Other churchgoers got down on their knees and urged God to punish the pastor, the paper said.

Kiratu was rescued by police officers and taken to hospital with head and neck injuries. Police also had to intervene to stop passers-by from looting the church during the fracas.

The Kenya Times said the women claimed a special education fund was being misused by church officials and demanded to know the whereabouts of a 90,000 Kenyan shilling (US$15,000) monthly donation from a Swedish charity.