A former clergyman was on Thursday arraigned in court over allegations of repeated defilement of a minor.
Tobias Koga, a former church elder at the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) church, was charged wih defiling the form two girl within Homa Bay County.
He was arraigned before Homa Bay Resident Magistrate Joy Wesonga, who was told that the accused defiled the 17-year-old on diverse dates between December 2018 and July 2019.
The court heard that the suspect also indecently, intentionally and unlawfully and touched the minor and at Wahambla Village in East Kanyada Location, in contravention to the sexual offences act.
He was arrested on in Homa Bay Town on Wednesday, in an operation that was headed by area OCPD Zamadani Mkondo.
Area chief John Akado claimed that the girl fell prey to the man after he began sending her money through mobile money service M-Pesa.
"We looked at the student’s phone and discovered glaring evidence to demonstrate the man was in sexual relationship with her. There were romantic messages which proved their sexual affair,” he said.
In court, Mr Koga, who has been serving the church in a different position after being relieved of his initial responsibilities as a church elder, pleaded to be released on lenient terms, terming himself the sole provider for his family.
The court released him on a Sh100,000 bail, with the case set to he heard again on October 22.