Catholic priest Father Richard Oduor will spend four days in police cells awaiting charges of knowingly spreading Coronavirus. He will be arraigned before court on Tuesday after the Easter Holiday.
The Rome-based priest was arrested on Thursday at the Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi, immediately after he was discharged after recovering from Covid-19.
Nairobi police commander Philip Ndolo said Fr. Oduor will face charges similar to those pressed on the Kilifi deputy governor Gideon Saburi knowingly spreading the disease.
Fr. Oduor came from abroad and went to upcountry where it is alleged he conducted a mass, came back to Nairobi and he fell sick.
“When he was taken to hospital he tested positive for coronavirus therefore he was hospitalized. He has been in hospital since then and today (Thursday) he was discharged having been cured of the disease,” Ndolo said.
“Having healed, and it is believed he he spread the disease (knowingly), the law must take its course and for that matter, we have now arrested him with a view of arraigning him as soon as possible. By the time he is arraigned it will be clear whether he spread the disease or not but those are the charges we have in mind.”
Oduor jetted in on March 10 and was screened at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and was cleared of the disease.
He is said to have stayed with a relative in before travelling to Ugunja in Siaya County on Saturday March 14 where he attended a funeral.
The priest was traced days later after members of public raised concerns and was and moved to Mbagathi Hospital where he was quarantined before he was tested for the Coronavirus.
Oduor will be the second recovered patient to be charged with spreading the deadly disease in Kenya.
