Bishop David Muriithi of House of Grace Church has responded to a suit in which his former lover is seeking Sh100,000 monthly allowance for child maintenance for their two-year-old son.
In his replying affidavit, the clergyman said he is willing to take responsibility for the child, but can only afford Sh10,000 monthly upkeep because he depends on well-wishers.
Bishop Muriithi has also pledged to pay for his son’s school fees. He says he will provide for the minor’s school fees when he attains school-going age.
“That as a responsible Kenyan, I offer to take full responsibility of paying fees for the minor as well as payment of 10,000 per month for the minor’s upkeep. I make the commitment herein bearing in mind my limited means and family responsibility which I am obliged to meet as well as the fact that the minor’s education will take the largest share of the minor’s maintenance,” he says in a sworn statement.
Muriithi admitted that he had a short-lived on-and-off relationship with the woman, Judy Mutave Muasya, which ended in the year 2018. He noted that the woman is currently enjoying a comfortable home which she shares with her teenage son as well as the baby he sired.
Muriithi argues that his baby mama ran a good business during their relationship and she is, therefore, able to cater for the child.
The House of Grace founder also denied that he knew about the pregnancy as claimed by Judy Mutave.
“The first time I learnt of the pregnancy was long after the relationship ended when I called to say hello and in the process, she casually informed me that she was at St. Mary to deliver a baby which shocked me and so she is lying that I knew about the pregnancy,” court papers note.
Bishop Muriithi further contested the choice of school for his son saying he was not consulted before the mother “settled for the high-end Kiota School”. He said he cannot afford the institution’s fees because he does not have a regular income.
The man of the cloth also dismissed his baby mama’s demand Sh10,000 to cater for a househelp saying she had one even before getting the child in question and the minor does not mean he has to take up the responsibility.
Muriithi has also taken an issue with Judy’s “misconception” that he leads a lavish lifestyle. He is accusing her of extortion and sensationalizing her suit in a bid to pressure him into paying her demands.
“The applicant insinuates that I live a high-end life. It is clear in my mind that the applicant, having had the misconception that I live a high-end life somehow, has caused herself to conceive with the sole aim of getting a slice of the perceived ‘high end’ life,” he says
“I do state that this is a pigment of the applicant’s imagination as I do not earn any salary from the church and therefore I do not have a regular income or payslip but rather depend purely on donations from well-wishers and such donations have not been forthcoming due to the Covid-19 pandemic where church activities have been disrupted for close to two years,” he said.
Muriithi further claims Judy does not have the welfare of the child at heart.
“As a responsible adult who had liaison with the applicant, I am convinced that it would in the best interest of the child for me to take up the reasonable parental responsibility over the child whom she claims to be mine as that is the most responsible thing to do to protect the minor,” he said.
