Missionary killed in Kenya

A Mill Hill missionary priest was murdered on Wednesday, 23 August 2000, Kenyan police have revealed. Fr John Anthony Kaiser, 67, an American priest of the St Joseph's Missionary Society of Mill Hill, was found dead last week along the road from Naivasha to Nakuru (around 70km west of Nairobi).

Nakuru police commander Andrew Kimetto told the East African Standard that the case is being treated as murder and that investigations are underway. Investigators had at first suspected suicide after finding a shotgun lying by his side and live ammunition in his pocket.

Kimetto told the press that Father Kaiser was made to kneel and recite his last prayers before being killed. The police commander did not say how he obtained this information.

Colleagues told the press they had been afraid for Fr John's safety since he made claims which led to the current prosecution of a minister for the rape of a minor. He also accused the government of illegal appropriation of land and laid charges against two ministers for sending warriors to Israel for commando training. In November, Fr John was ordered to leave Kenya.

The Catholic bishops of the Kenyan Episcopal Conference have asked that the government of Nairobi "fully investigate the circumstances surrounding the tragic death".