Shock in Church: Pastor Kills Wife at Pulpit Before Taking His Own Life

A church service in Kenya’s coastal city of Mombasa ended in horror after a pastor allegedly stabbed his wife to death before turning the weapon on himself in front of a stunned congregation.

The tragic incident occurred at Goods for God’s Gospel Ministries in Chembani village, Kisauni Constituency, where Pastor Elisha Nadoya Mizigo is accused of attacking his wife, Anna Mghoi Maghanga, while she was leading prayers at the pulpit.

According to witnesses, the pastor calmly walked toward his wife during the service as though he wanted to hand her something. Instead, he reportedly pulled out a knife and repeatedly stabbed her before inflicting fatal injuries on himself.

Congregants watched in disbelief as the attack unfolded inside the church they had founded together.

Anna was rushed to Coast Provincial General Hospital with serious injuries but later died while receiving treatment. Pastor Mizigo died at the scene, where his body remained until police officers arrived and transferred it to the mortuary.

Investigators recovered a 17-page handwritten document believed to have been left behind by the pastor. In the notes, he accused his wife of infidelity, witchcraft and attempting to seize control of property they had built together over nearly two decades of marriage.

He claimed he had worked tirelessly to establish their church and family wealth, alleging that his wife later took ownership of the church land, furniture and other assets without his consent. He also accused her of having him arrested, denying him access to their four children and humiliating him publicly.

The writings further revealed that he had allegedly intended to kill his wife on December 31 but abandoned the plan because of increased police patrols in the area.

Kisauni police commander Julius Kiragu confirmed that officers recovered the lengthy document, which detailed years of marital disputes centered on their relationship and ownership of jointly acquired property.

Church members said the couple’s troubled relationship had been known within the congregation for years. Several attempts had reportedly been made to reconcile them, but their disagreements continued to worsen.

Peter Kimbada, the church treasurer, said Pastor Mizigo had stopped attending services after falling out with his wife. He recalled an earlier incident in 2018 when the pastor allegedly caused damage to church property, leading to his arrest after a complaint was filed at Kiembeni Police Post.

According to Kimbada, the congregation had not seen the pastor for a long time until he unexpectedly appeared during the service where the fatal attack occurred.

Police launched investigations into the incident as shocked worshippers and residents struggled to come to terms with the violent tragedy that claimed the lives of the church’s founders.