Message Cult Pastor Arrested for Murder

William Branham "Message" cult leader Jean Mbaya has been arrested for murder after allegedly dumping the body of a female Branham cult member, evading, and then bribing police to remove the evidence from his vehicle. A video of the pastor questioning the victim prior to her death along with her shoes and underwear was found in the pastor's possession at the time of arrest.

According to the investigative report (transcript below in English), multiple witnessess watched the cult leader dumping the victim's body at a location that has become infamous for the dumping of murdered persons.

This is not the second time, but many times. They take people that were killed somewhere else and this is where they dump their bodies. Around CNPP, by Righini. Look, this is the proof. He denied, he didn’t know. After many questions he admitted. We are giving this message that we around CNPP are victim of people that come to dump bodies around here. That’s enough. We take precaution. Do you see how he got caught? We are tired. The message is that whoever that will dare try to do this again to follow the pastor’s footsteps. The pastor is caught because we are tired of this. We conclude that it’s an organization that kill people and dump their body here. And the pastor is one of them. Yesterday morning we found a body, and last night we found another body.

When initially questioned, Mbaya initially claimed that he was in prayer when he received a phone call from people searching the victim's belongings who found his number in the victim's phone, and found only the body when he arrived at the scene. Mbaya claimed that he then put her belongings in his SUV and fled the scene.

Pastor Jean Mbaya: They called me from this girl number that… please come down here there is a situation. By the time I arrived there was a heavy traffic. I have asked them for precision because I was near, by Kimwenza. I was told that it’s past ISTM. Somewhere around there. I arrive at the place and found none

Journalist: They called you to come and pray?

Pastor Jean Mbaya: No. they said they killed someone here and found your number is her phone that’s why we called you. When I arrived, I was horrified. I wanted to pick up her belongings and put them in the car and call people but I was caught up in fear.

Journalist: And you found the person?

Pastor Jean Mbaya: I didn’t find the person that called me.

Journalist: So you just found the corpse alone?

Pastor Jean Mbaya: Yes, only the corpse

When police arrived at the scene, the victim was found strangled, with rope marks on her neck and on her arms, and only one shoe on her feet. According to the Captain of police, when Mbaya was finally apprehended, they found the other shoe and the rope in Mbaya's SUV.

Captain: I was on duty around 10:00 pm. And I called that a SUV dropped a person. I called the colonel to notify him. I received an information that they dropped a person near ISTM. We went to the FIDI precinct and found the SUV there. The crowd wanted to burn the car. We evacuated the car and took it to our precinct along with the pastor. Then we went to the crime scene and found the body of the young girl laying on the ground with one pair of shoes. The other pair was found inside the pastor’s SUV. With the purse, in his phone we found that the pastor has a video of the girl wearing those clothes. They were talking.

Journalist: So, you watched the video the same day?

Captain: Yes, it’s in his phone. He was taking with the girl asking her if her family knows where she is. The girl said, the don’t know where they are. Then we found those items, they young girl was strangled … with scar on her wrist. We found this rope. What’s the purpose having those kind of ropes in the car?

When questioned why he only took part of the girl's clothing when he fled the scene, Mbaya tried to persuade the police into remvoing the evidence from his vehicle. The police immediately refused and began interrogating Mbaya for the murder of the victim.

Captain: "You are my brother.” There isn’t a way that you can take a way that shoe that is in my car? Because there are proofs that will incriminate me. I will take care of you. I told him, “Wait what? Are you going to take care of us because someone has died? No way. That’s not going to work.” The police are here to protect people and their belongings. The police is not there to kill people nor being complicit in murders. That’s not going to happen. Then they took his statement. Those clothes are for the girl that died and were inside the pastor’s car.

During the interrogation, and after the police refused to remove the evidence from his vehicle, Mbaya attempted to bribe the police with 72,000 Congolese Francs.

Captain: While giving his statement, the pastor alleged that the rope was to tie his goats. The pastor then said to us; my colonel assists me, I am already fallen down, there are proofs. I will take good care of you. We counted the money he gave us 72,000 Congolese Franc. My superior said but pastor you said 80,000 how come is it now 72,000? The paper of his statement is inside along with everything that was found in pastor’s possession. Here is the money. This is 600 Congolese Franc we found in the girl’s purse. And the name the pastor gave us. When I read in this paper, I found the name Kalonji.

Journalist: So he bribed you guys to release him?

Captain: Here is the money. We said in this matter of death of human being the blood of the girl will follow us with this money. We’re soldiers, we didn’t start today. Look how old we are! We know how keep our jobs. The courts never see us

More Information:

Transcript: JEAN-MBAYA-ARREST-TRANSLATION.pdf

Images:

Video:

Full Transcript

Ext POLICE STATION.

Indistinct chatter... A police officer is heard saying ..

Police officer - The shoes that were here .... Stay over there. Even if you were seen there is no problem

The pastor Jean Mbaya is standing wearing a yellow doted shirt. A journalist pans a camera to his face.

[To Pastor Jean Mbaya]

Journalist: Good day

Pastor Jean Mbaya: Good day

Journalist: How did you end up at the police district station, what are you here for? People are not understanding. We would like to know, what problem happened to you

Pastor Jean Mbaya: I am arrested because I killed a person

Journalist: I beg your pardon?

Pastor Jean Mbaya: I am arrested because they said I have killed a person

Journalist: They said... but you didn’t kill?

Pastor Jean Mbaya: No I didn’t kill

Journalist: But what’s the story then?

Pastor Jean Mbaya: The story is that I was at my place of prayer... and I was called around 5pm30.

Journalist: Where is the church at?

Pastor Jean Mbaya: With this girl (the deceased girl) phone.

Journalist: Where is the church at?

Pastor Jean Mbaya: the church is located in Mombele... from this girl number

Journalist: Which church... which church

Pastor Jean Mbaya: it’s SION (Zion)

Journalist: Okay... alright

Pastor Jean Mbaya: They called me from this girl number that... please come down here there is a situation. By the time I arrived there was a heavy traffic. I have asked them for precision because I was near, by Kimwenza. I was told that it’s past ISTM. Somewhere around there. I arrive at the place and found none

Journalist: They called you to come and pray?

Pastor Jean Mbaya: No. they said they killed someone here and found your number is her phone that’s why we called you. When I arrived, I was horrified. I wanted to pick up her belongings and put them in the car and call people but I was caught up in fear.

Journalist: And you found the person?

Pastor Jean Mbaya: I didn’t find the person that called me.

Journalist: So you just found the corpse alone?

Pastor Jean Mbaya: Yes, only the corpse

Journalist: So yourself were horrified and caught up in fear.

Pastor Jean Mbaya: I left it but I had already picked up her purse and once pair of her shoe, it was already in the car without my knowledge.

Journalist: hmm.

Pastor Jean Mbaya: Horrified, I started leaving to go call for the police to come and assess the situation. It was when I reached Rond Point Ngaba, I was blocked that by people saying that I killed a man because I was coming from that area. But I didn’t kill the person. That wasn’t me.

Journalist: Why did they call you? Is she your believer?

Pastor Jean Mbaya: Yes.

Journalist: So when they called you, you started your car and drove to the crime scene.

Pastor Jean Mbaya: I already finished.

Journalist: Crime?

Pastor Jean Mbaya: Uh... prayer. Finished the prayer. I was coming down then I said, I should stop by that address. I got there and found the person, the corpse. The person or the people that called me wasn’t there.

Journalist: But we found underwear, that’s what is concerning. We found underwear in your bag. Did you remove her underwear?

Pastor Jean Mbaya: Not my bag. You must speak correctly, in her purse.

Journalist: Her purse?

Pastor Jean Mbaya: Clothes are in that purse.

Journalist: Oh okay. Let’s have the captain and we will get back to you

[To the Captain of Police]

Journalist: Good day captain.

Captain: Good day.

Journalist: Please explain to us how you took out hammer, rope and too many things here, and you have arrested a God’s servant. What’s the story?

Captain: Story is that yesterday around 9:00 pm, I was sitting by the entrance door, because I am permanent officer. I remained with one officer and had sent the others to stop music. Because there were bars in Mont-Ngafula. I ordered them to go and stop the bars music. As soon as they left, I saw two people on bikes heading toward me, Captain Lokombe, (Lokombe is my name). They said, captain there is a SUV that just dropped a dead girl. They were not done talking when I saw the SUV passing at full speed. So I took the last office and left the precinct unattended. One kid that had a phone cabin near our precinct was the one that called the other policemen.

We chased the pastor and knocked on the glass ordering him to stop and pull over. He didn’t stop and drove past us till the entry of Virunga where there was a traffic. I got off the bike, he switched to the second lane.

Pastor Jean Mbaya: hmm...hmm

Journalist: You don’t have to say a word.

Captain: I arrive to another precinct FIDI. The police officers there were witnessing everything. I called them: help! Help! Police! Antenne... Antenne come this SUV dropped a ...

Suddenly he drove away toward Rond Point Ngaba. He arrived near Kindele. I was following on bike with some police officers on foot. He wanted to drive away, I stood in front of the car and said, don’t run, he asked, “Captain Lokombe what happened?” I said a car that dropped a person. I knocked on his glass. It took us 20 minutes. The crowd gathered. As I am known by the locals, I ordered everyone to not touch thing, I am the one who apprehended him. People popped the two rear tires. He heard the tires pop. He said “Come in.” I said, “Not with the way things are going, I can’t get in your car. You’re the one that should exit the vehicle and give the car keys.” He exit the vehicle and gave the contact. I walked with him to the FIDI station. I left one officer with the car.

Journalist: What did he concretely do?

Captain: They said he dropped a body. But at the time I didn’t see a thing. We just follow the way we received the information. I left him at the FIFI precinct and asked the officer that he doesn’t leave. Then I went on to take his car as the crowd was about to set it on fire. We took the car and left it the FIDI precinct station. I returned to my precinct and found the caption with 7 officers. And I told them to go to the crime scene. We arrived at the crime scene where we found the girl laying on the ground with her arm above her belly with rope scars near her wrist.

Journalist: Those blue ropes?

Captain: There wasn’t rope, scars. At the time we didn’t see a thing. There was a judge living nearby named Mulumba who came by, and said he heard people talking about a dead girl. I have already called the attorney. The judge gave me the attorney on the phone. Who said that we should take care of the body and transfer the statement to the court house. We took the corpse and put it in our track and our police truck stalled. I called the colonel to send another vehicle to take to body to the morgue. At the morgue, we noticed a huge wound scar circling her neck. At first, we only noticed that scars, it was at the morgue that they noticed a huge wound around her neck. We left the morgue, we had tire problem then got back to our precinct around 04:30 am.

I took his statement. He was adamant that he didn’t kill the girl. I asked him to hand the girl’s purse, we poured down everything that was inside. We found the clothes, in the phone we found a video of him and girl (wearing the clothes she was found on dead) they’re Branhamist, they wear very long skirt. We asked him and he denied but look, one the girl clothes was found in your possession. One the shoe that was on the victim’s feet, I took it when we put the body at the morgue. Coincidently the other pair was found in the pastor’s car.

Journalist: So, one shoe was with the victim and the other pair is in the pastor’s car?

Captain: Yes. I am the one who untied it from the victim foot. With this glove that was near.

Journalist: What about this hammer?

Captain: I don’t know. And this rope too.

Journalist: He said that rope was to tie his goats?

Captain: While giving his statement, the pastor alleged that the rope was to tie his goats. The pastor then said to us; my colonel assists me, I am already fallen down, there are proofs. I will take good care of you. We counted the money he gave us 72,000 Congolese Franc. My superior said but pastor you said 80,000 how come is it now 72,000? The paper of his statement is inside along with everything that was found in pastor’s possession. Here is the money. This is 600 Congolese Franc we found in the girl’s purse. And the name the pastor gave us. When I read in this paper, I found the name Kalonji.

Journalist: So he bribed you guys to release him?

Captain: Here is the money. We said in this matter of death of human being the blood of the girl will follow us with this money. We’re soldiers, we didn’t start today. Look how old we are! We know how keep our jobs. The courts never see us

Journalist: The pastor has killed his believer?

Captain: He said himself. His believer. There is a image. If he put his fingerprint you will see. If the colonel orders, I take the phone and he will put his fingerprint and you will see. Him and his believer, the way there were talking.

Journalist: Yes captain I want; please clarify.

Captain: I was on duty around 10:00 pm. And I called that a SUV dropped a person. I called the colonel to notify him. I received an information that they dropped a person near ISTM. We went to the FIDI precinct and found the SUV there. The crowd wanted to burn the car. We evacuated the car and took it to our precinct along with the pastor. Then we went to the crime scene and found the body of the young girl laying on the ground with one pair of shoes. The other pair was found inside the pastor’s SUV. With the purse, in his phone we found that the pastor has a video of the girl wearing those clothes. They were talking.

Journalist: So, you watched the video the same day?

Captain: Yes, it’s in his phone. He was taking with the girl asking her if her family knows where she is. The girl said, the don’t know where they are. Then we found those items, they young girl was strangled ... with scar on her wrist. We found this rope. What’s the purpose having those kind of ropes in the car?

Journalist: He said he has goats.

Captain: But why having hammer in the purse? With a pocket knife. Then the pastor said, you and I are related.

Journalist: That’s what he said to you?

Captain: “You are my brother.” There isn’t a way that you can take a way that shoe that is in my car? Because there are proofs that will incriminate me. I will take care of you. I told him, “Wait what? Are you going to take care of us because someone has died? No way. That’s not going to work.” The police are here to protect people and their belongings. The police is not there to kill people nor being complicit in murders. That’s not going to happen. Then they took his statement. Those clothes are for the girl that died and were inside the pastor’s car.

Journalist: Inside the purse?

Captain: Inside her purse.

Journalist: Did you find the girl with or without clothes?

Captain: The girl? We found her with clothes on. This underwear is for the girl.

Journalist: Pardon captain, Uh pasta... pasta... pastor when you found your believer. Was she with clothes on?

Pastor Jean Mbaya: She was with clothes on.

Journalist: But why you only took these?

Pastor Jean Mbaya: These were inside her purse; then I carried her purse.

Journalist: Did you go to help the person or her clothes

Pastor Jean Mbaya: I went to help the person. Then I got caught up in fear I didn’t want to carry her alone because that will get me in trouble. That’s why I turned around.

Journalist: That’s why you took only the clothes?

Pastor Jean Mbaya: Purse. I didn’t know what was inside. I only took the purse and the shoe and went to get the police.

Journalist: How many goats do you have at home?

Pastor Jean Mbaya: Three. This one is for the bigger goat.

Journalist: All this time you driving with this rope, with which rope did you attach the other rope?

Pastor Jean Mbaya: This rope is always in my trunk with hammer, along with tire jacks and other accessories.

Journalist: What were you using the hammer for?

Pastor Jean Mbaya: The hammer was used for the pump that is under. People were doing some work under the car.

Journalist: That’s why you put in your car?

Pastor Jean Mbaya: I am not a killer.

Journalist: I don’t understand. In a church there are lots of people. When they called you, why you didn’t tell at least someone?

Pastor Jean Mbaya: How am I going to tell people while I was coming from the forest?

Journalist: Oh pastor. Earlier, we have the video, you said you were at the prayer and you were done. And you were around Mombele.

Pastor Jean Mbaya: That’s you who says that. People: he was coming from Kimwenza.

Pastor Jean Mbaya: Kimwenza is the forest. It’s not that I was inside the church.

Journalist: May God retain that you haven’t done anything?

Pastor Jean Mbaya: That means, it’s not me the author of the death of the girl; I found her. I found her like that. They called me. I didn’t find anybody.

Captain: Dear journalist, this is proof that we are always victim here in Mont Amba, precisely at the site of CNPP.

Journalist: This is the second time?

Captain: This is not the second time, but many times. They take people that were killed somewhere else and this is where they dump their bodies. Around CNPP, by Righini. Look, this is the proof. He denied, he didn’t know. After many questions he admitted. We are giving this message that we around CNPP are victim of people that come to dump bodies around here. That’s enough. We take precaution. Do you see how he got caught? We are tired. The message is that whoever that will dare try to do this again to follow the pastor’s footsteps. The pastor is caught because we are tired of this. We conclude that it’s an organization that kill people and dump their body here. And the pastor is one of them. Yesterday morning we found a body, and last night we found another body.

Journalist: But the pastor wanted to give you money to bribe you?

Captain: When it comes to death of a human being, we don’t take money. The person worth more than money. The pastor thought that giving police officers money would allow him to walk free. He was wrong. Our police officers are professional, they’re warned. Look, there is his money. They returned it on the spot. Human’s life is more than money. I would advise everyone listening: This life isn’t good. Killing someone for an unknown reason isn’t good. Then you come dump the body near CNPP which has become your dumpster. We’re smart now.

Journalist: Thank you very much

[OUTRO]

The pastor is seen taken to custody