Pastor Ezekiel Odero Arrested over deaths similar to those at the Shakahola Massacre
The Kilifi based self-proclaimed controversial preacher dubbed Pastor Ezekiel Odero has been detained today following reports of deaths of his congregants at the New Life Prayer Centre and Church.
Confirming the arrest, the police also reported that his church has been closed down.
“As the reginal security team, we have arrested pastor Ezekiel Ombok Odero of the New Life Prayer Centre and Church at Mavueni in Kilifi county on allegations of the deaths that have been occurring at his premises and reported in various morgues,” Coast Regional Coordinator Rhoda Onyancha said.
“The prayer centre which is located in Kilifi has been closed down and those residing at his residence have been ordered to go home. The sick have been advised to go back to hospital,” Rhoda explained.
This comes hours after the televangelist was summoned from Kilifi alongside his wife and aide by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Mombasa for allegedly advancing cult-like practices.
When asked by journalists if he is linked to his fellow preacher Paul Nthenge Mackenzie over the Shakahola deaths caused by starvation, Ezekiel declined to comment.
Detectives have been investigating claims that Pastor Ezekiel was pulling critically ill followers from hospital wards to his church purportedly to perform miracles on them in order to heal.
The preacher is accused of ferrying the sick, including those suffering from terminal illnesses, from various hospital wards to perform healing miracles inside his church in Mavueni, Kilifi county.
There are reports that some of the patients could have died as a result of being denied medication as a result of the preacher’s actions.
Detectives have also recorded statements from the management and officials of Milele Funeral, Burial and Benevolent Services in Mbogolo area near the church’s headquarters in Kilifi town to establish how many bodies, if any, it has received from the church.
Pastor Ezekiel Odero’s arrest comes at the backdrop of a horrendous discovery at Shakahola where hundreds of brainwashed followers of Pastor Paul Mackenzie had pitched camp, fasting, after selling their earthly belongings including prime plots.
The number of exhumed bodies in Shakahola has hit 98, following the exhumation of bodies of eight children.
A majority of those confirmed dead include children, even as the police intensify investigations into Paul Mackenzie’s cult-like religion, which encouraged its followers to starve to death “to meet Jesus”.
According to reports, at least 300 reported to be missing as a result of Mackenzie’s activities are yet to be found, or their bodies found.
Mackenzie, the head of the Good News International Church, surrendered to police in March and was charged after two kids died of starvation while in their parents’ care.
He was released on a Ksh100,000 cash bail but was later re-arrested on April 15, 2023, after more bodies were found in relation to the same.
On Wednesday, April 26, 2023, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki announced a dusk-to-dawn curfew in Shakahola even as police intensified investigations. So far, at least 14 suspects have been arrested in connection with the saga, which the government has termed a massacre.
