A pastor who allegedly raped one of his church members after waylaying her from church has died.

The pastor is believed to have committed suicide after months of hiding.

Ganze sub-county police commander James Muasya said the decomposing body of James Kazungu Baluku, 44, was discovered by Friends of Arabuko Sokoke community scouts on patrol inside the Arabuko Sokoke forest.

“The body was discovered on Monday afternoon but it appeared he died two days before. We believe he took poison before hanging himself. There was a bottle believed to had contained poison beside where his body lay. His body was mauled by wild animals and two dogs also died just near the body. We believe the dogs mauled the body,” said Muasya.

Kaembeni assistant chief Nesta Yeri on Tuesday said she received a call from the community scouts and rushed to the scene at around 2.45 PM on Monday.

“The body had been mauled by animals on the legs and hands. It was not easy to identify the body but when the family members arrived they identified him using the clothes and some marks. Ever since he was suspected to have committed the rape, he has been in hiding,” said Yeri.

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One of the scouts who sought anonymity said they were in their normal patrol when a foul smell struck them.

“We searched thinking it was an elephant that had died but we saw the body of a person with a piece of lesso around the neck. We reported to the forest officers and the chief,” he said

Rehema Kazungu, the wife of the deceased, said the last time she saw him was on Thursday night.

“He came home and we took a meal together and then he said he is going to meet his father to discuss the issue of his brother who is in prison. He wore black trousers and a blue jumper. He never returned home,” said Kazungu

The pastor allegedly raped a girl from his church.

It is alleged that he committed the crime on 10^th January when he waylaid the girl as she walked home from church.

“She dragged the girl into a cassava plantation and he fled when we responded to the distress call of the girl.” Said one of the church members who allegedly rescued her.

He went into hiding after the matter was reported to the police.

The family was allowed to bury the body.

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