Mzungu Pastor Narrates Being Wrongfully Imprisoned in Kodiaga, Kenya, and talks about Unfulfilled Compensation
Irish pastor Rory Bracken has spoken out on his difficult experience in Kenya, where he was wrongfully arrested and imprisoned in 2019.
In February 2019, Pastor Rory was charged with not meeting visa requirements and being in Kenya illegally.
He spent 23 days in Kodiaga Prison while trying to raise a KSh 50,000 bond, which was initially set at KSh 500,000. The pastor struggled to pay the bond but ultimately received help from his family.
After his release, Pastor Rory filed a civil suit against the government, proving that his visit to Kenya was lawful and that his imprisonment was a case of malicious prosecution.
The court ruled in his favour, ordering compensation for the wrongful charges. According to court documents reviewed by TUKO.co.ke, he was awarded KSh 400,000 for malicious prosecution, with the total compensation amounting to KSh 560,000 after including legal fees.
principal Magistrate Fatuma Rashid found that the government’s actions against Pastor Rory were unjust, as he had a valid visa. Despite the court’s ruling, the compensation has not been paid yet.
Pastor Rory expressed his frustration, noting that even though the court had ruled in his favour, the judgment has not been honoured years later.
He also noted that the compensation amount was insufficient given the expenses he faced during the ordeal, such as six months of hotel accommodation and food while his passport was held during the trial.
In his reflections, Pastor Rory lamented the lack of support from fellow preachers in Kenya during his time of need. He stated that no Kenyan pastors stood with him, including the pastor who had invited him to Kisumu.
He also highlighted the challenges he faced with unreliable legal representation, as some advocates took his money and vanished without providing the promised services.
