NICK WADHAMS TAOISEACH BRIAN Cowen has called for a full investigation by the Kenyan authorities into the murder of an Irish priest during a violent robbery at his home yesterday.
Fr Jeremiah Roche (68), from Athea in west Limerick, died following a struggle with intruders who entered his home on the outskirts of Kericho, a town about 250km from Nairobi, in the early hours of yesterday morning.
Local police chief Patterson Maelo, who had met Fr Roche on several occasions, said the priest’s body was discovered by parishioners who raised the alarm after he failed to appear at 6am Mass.
“They saw him dead on the bed with machete wounds on his head and his hands tied with rope,” Mr Maelo added. He said an initial investigation had indicated that the intruders entered the house after forcing open a metal window grill. They went on to ransack the bedroom, and left with a CD player and two mobile phones.
Mr Maelo, who described Fr Roche as hard-working and friendly, said the priest had organised a number of development projects in the area. “This work was being done by the youth and they were paid by the priest so we think some of them believed he had a lot of money,” he said.
“We suspect it must have been people he knew . . . We want to interview certain suspects.”
Fr Roche’s niece Anne Cunningham said the family was left “shocked and traumatised” by the news of his death. The priest is survived by his 10 siblings.
“Jerry was a lovely man. He devoted his life to his faith and the Church and he is someone we are all very proud of,” Ms Cunningham said. “He absolutely loved what he was doing over there but he had been talking about retiring and the hope was that he would retire next year.”
Ms Cunningham said her uncle always fundraised for Africa whenever he was home or visiting family in the US.
“Everyone looked up to him and when you think of what’s going on in the Church at the moment, he was a real role model figure,” she added.
Fr Roche, a member of the Kiltegan Fathers, was the only Catholic priest in the area where he lived. He had just finished building a new church.
Fr Tom Kiggins, of the Kiltegan Fathers in Co Wicklow, described the news as a terrible shock.
“He has been in Kenya since 1968. He spent all his time in the same area. He built a number of churches during his time and set up parishes,” Fr Kiggins said.
Speaking in Brussels, Mr Cowen offered his sympathies to the family of the murdered priest. “The Minister for Foreign Affairs has ensured that there will be close contact with the Kenyan authorities to ensure that a full investigation is carried out and that every effort is made to apprehend Fr Roche’s attackers,” he said.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin said he had spoken to Fr Roche’s family yesterday morning to convey his sympathies and offer assistance.
“His untimely death is yet another terrible reminder of the threats faced daily by our missionaries and aid workers all over the world,” Mr Martin added.
President Mary McAleese also offered her sympathies. “Our thoughts and prayers are especially with the Roche family as they face this sad loss and tragic news,” she said.
Athea parish priest Fr Patrick Bowen said the community was greatly saddened by Fr Roche’s death.
“He had a lovely personality and was a really cheerful character. The whole parish is so saddened that Fr Jerry died the way he died but at the same time we would be very proud of him,” said Fr Bowen.