Nairobi — The leader of the trouble-ridden Church of God in East Africa spent the night in the cells after a dramatic arrest on Friday evening.

Bishop Byrum Makokha was locked up at the Buru Buru police station, Nairobi, where he was driven to after being picked up at the Kima Mission Cathedral, Vihiga, at 6 pm on Friday.

He was, however, released at 10 am yesterday after recording a statement with the police in the presence of his lawyer, Mr David Kiplagat.

His arrest was in connection with last month's demolition of several structures at Buru Buru Church Community Centre, Nairobi, which faithful attribute to a long-drawn leadership wrangle at the Church.

The demolished buildings included two pastors' houses, a clinic and a meeting hall under construction.

Eight plainclothes police officers in two unmarked police saloon cars stormed the mission cathedral and, displaying a court warrant, arrested Bishop Makokha.

The clergyman and several church officials were driven away to Vihiga police station as some members of the flock and other church leaders broke into weeping.

The Vihiga police boss, Mr Silas McOpiyo, said the bishop had been arrested after investigations into the damage to property at the Buru Buru Church of God, Nairobi.

He said the other officials arrested with the bishop had been released.

"The case here is not ours but is for our Buru Buru counterparts. They had only requested for men to accompany them to Kima Mission and that is all they did," Mr McOpiyo said.

But speaking at Buru Buru police station after being released, an angry Bishop Makokha, who was accompanied by his wife, Joy, said he had no idea why he had been arrested. He curtly told journalists to seek details from the police.

"This is all useless. Ask them (police) why they brought me here," he said as he entered his car and was hurriedly driven away.

His lawyer, Mr Kiplagat, described the arrest as malicious. "This is all malicious and illegal. Someone came and gave the police wrong information that it was the Bishop who authorised the demolitions. We are definitely going to press charges against those who gave the police this misleading information," he said.

He said the police should have gone for the individuals who carried out the demolitions "instead of going all the way to Vihiga" to arrest the bishop.