'Bishop' Johanna: Controversial cleric who sparked outrage over inappropriate touching in 'exorcism' dies
Bishop Johanna
Controversial Bishop Johanna, who sparked debate and outrage after he was filmed inappropriately touching a congregant in the name of exorcising evil spirits, has died.
The 'Bishop', whose real name was Danson Gichuhi and who was a die-hard fan of English Premier League side Arsenal, passed away on Thursday, August 8.
The footage of the 'exorcism' on February 16, 2024, had striking similarities to sexual assault, with the Bishop lying on the ground next to a woman in the same position, his hands moving from her breasts to her torso and everywhere in between.
His wife Mary Wanjiku told Nation.Africa on Thursday that "indeed, my husband who you people found so much fun covering as a juicy news source is no more".
She added that "his Arsenal fans should be informed that he breathed his last in the evening while receiving treatment at Nakuru Level Five hospital after a long illness bravely borne".
"My loving husband and the father of my four children died aged 54 and we will miss his love, dedication and hard work, besides being our spiritual pillar," she said.
Standing over six feet tall, 'Bishop' was known for walking on crutches and was a popular figure in the town of Murang'a, where he would usually turn up at a local pub to cheer on his Arsenal team whenever they played.
He had revealed that his disability was the result of a bout of osteoarthritis that cost him Sh600,000 to have an artificial hip fitted.
Commenting on the controversies that dogged his life, Ms Wanjiku said, "Judgement belongs to God and his soul shall be accorded eternal justice by he who called him to serve."
In the controversial footage that elicited heated online debate with calls that he be arrested and charged, the ‘Bishop’ defended himself saying "That is my speciality and approved by God through my anointment".
The woman who was delivered from demons defended her 'bishop', saying she had deliberately sought out the service.
"My husband had eloped with another woman. In search of domesticating him, I sought the services of a witch doctor who had applied medicine on my bust and genitals to make me attractive in a bid to bring him back home. But it never worked," she testified.
She added that the witchcraft began to torment her and a friend finally recommended 'Bishop' Johanna as the only one who could deliver her from the powers of darkness.
As an antidote to the witchcraft medicine, 'Bishop' Johanna was seen applying 'holy' oil, which he had packed in a portable sprayer, to her private parts.
The 'deliverance' was so intense that when the woman was declared free of the demons, she struggled to compose herself and declared, looking tired: "Bishop, you almost killed me".
In a telephone interview with Nation.Africa, back in May, 'Bishop' Johanna countered that he based the exorcism on the biblical scriptures recorded in Mark 5:9 where Jesus cast out demons from a soul.
Ms Wanjiku insisted on Thursday that her husband was not a false man of God "and was not in spiritual error".
She described him as the founder of the Christian Committed Gospel Church which has branches in Murang’a, Nakuru and Kirinyaga counties.
She described him as the founder of the Christian Committed Gospel Church, which has branches in Murang'a, Nakuru and Kirinyaga counties.
His Facebook account, which currently has over 1,700 followers - he had 1,300 before the video was uploaded - lists his mission statement as: "Deliverance and counselling of the possessed through spiritual power in the name of Jesus".
Ms Wanjiku said such fascinating aspects of her husband's escapades were the spiritual mojo that made him tick.
"He has been ministering the Christian gospel for the past 30 years, 24 of them in the deliverance business," she said.
In the earlier interview with Nation.Africa, he had postured that he gained popularity in 2014 when he confronted some tough demons in Kuresoi in Nakuru County that had defied and attacked 30 members of the clergy.
“I went after those demons disabled as I am and as my fellow clergy ran away, I stayed put and managed to subdue and order the evil spirits to depart from Kuresoi. That is how I became a known force and trended in the mainstream media for delivering minds from possession of powers of darkness,” he said.
As for being seen fondling the female sheep in a way that could be interpreted as being influenced by a lecherous spirit, 'Bishop Johanna' denied it.
“In deliverance, a faithful won’t come saying the problem is in the head and you treat the stomach…You apply oil to the problematic area…The spirits were declaring that they had attacked her tits and genitals…That is where I had to cleanse,” he said.
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Ms Wanjiku said she was well aware of how her husband attended to those possessed and at no point did she take offence.
"It was not in his interest to be naughty. He has a calling and I understood him perfectly. I believed in his ministry," she said.
