Chaos was witnessed at the Malenya border crossing on the outskirts of Busia town, after a pastor was arrested while attempting to cross into Uganda with a live cobra allegedly intended for spiritual cleansing.

According to reports by local police, Fanish Ramsey Maloba, a pastor who runs a church ministry at the Matayos trading center, was arrested at around 6 p.m. while attempting to cross the Kenya-Uganda border carrying the cobra in a large bag.

The police who were on patrol upon inspecting his luggage, were shocked to discover a large black and brown cobra.

Eyewitnesses narrated how the officers nearly fled in fear before gathering courage and contacting officials from the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), who arrived and took custody of the snake.

“The police stopped the pastor and when they opened his bag, we saw them drop it quickly and return to their usual seating area in panic. They later regrouped and held a quick emergency meeting.” recounted one witness.

When interrogated by the police, the 26-year-old man claimed that the Holy Spirit guided him to a homestead where he captured the snake alive before embarking on a spiritual mission to dismantle witchcraft practices. He said he intended to pray over it at his church in Matayos after completing his mission in Uganda.

The preacher is currently being held at the Busia Police Station as investigations continue. Authorities say he is likely to face charges related to illegal possession and transport of wildlife.

This incident comes about six months after a similar event involving a preacher destroying witchcraft tools in Murende village in Matayos constituency ended in tragedy when a woman allegedly died after being bitten by the preacher’s snake.

The woman was among villagers who had gathered to witness the supposed miracle. However, upon entering the room where the pastor was, she slipped and fell on the snake, which bit her. She died while being rushed to the hospital.

The string of such incidents has sparked public suspicion over the legitimacy of some of these spiritual “miracles,” with many locals now questioning whether some preachers are smuggling snakes in advance to create staged deliverance performances.

It is also claimed that before these preachers arrive in the villages, they send agents to sensitize locals about the dangers of witchcraft and the importance of eradicating it. The villagers are then asked to contribute money to facilitate the “spiritual cleansing.”