DCI affidavit reveals Pastor Ezekiel purchased Times TV from Pastor Mackenzie at Ksh500,000

DCI affidavit reveals Pastor Ezekiel purchased Times TV from Pastor Mackenzie at Ksh500,000.

“He is linked to several occurrence book reports of almost 100 deaths that occurred in the church between 2022 and 2023. These deaths occurred within church precincts,” Senior Prosecution Counsel Jami Yamina told the court.

Detectives also said that they have traced Sh3 million in financial transactions between Odero and Mackenzie for the purchase of a TV station. Odero admitted to buying the TV station from Mackenzie but said the business transaction should not be linked to the Shakahola deaths.

“The buying of the TV station cannot be connected to the Shakahola killings. If such an analogy were to be sustained, then all of us who have bought second hand cars would be held responsible for the crimes committed by previous owners, including the fights with their spouses,” his lawyer argued in court. Speaking at a press briefing, Coast Regional Commissioner Onyancha confirmed the arrest and affirmed that Odero’s church was closed.

“This morning we have arrested Pastor Ezekiel Odero for allegations of the deaths that have been occurring at his premises and reported in various media institutions. 

Onyancha also confirmed that Pastor Odero was being interrogated at the DCI regional headquarters in Mombasa County. 

The Commissioner noted that 22 suspects believed to be Mackenzie’s accomplices were also apprehended in a wide-ranging operation against rogue preachers associated with Shakahola Forest deaths.

In a video doing rounds online, Pastor Odero arrived for interrogations in his white Lexus LX570 before being escorted by police to the station in Kilifi County. Police in Mombasa have arrested Pastor Ezekiel Odero on accusations of being pastor Paul Mackenzie’s accomplice in the Shakahola massacre.

Pastor Ezekiel Odero of New Life Prayer Centre in Mavueni, Kilifi County has been arrested on the morning of Thursday 27 March. 

The televangelist is accused of being an accomplice of Pastor Paul Mackenzie. “We have arrested Pastor Odero of the New Prayer Centre church in Mavueni, Kilifi on allegations of deaths that have been happening on his premises and reported in various morgues and institutions,” said Onyancha.

Additionally, his church, New Prayer Centre has been shut down. Sources privy to the matter had previously confided to Kenyans.co.ke that police visited Milele Funeral Home in Mavueni, Kilifi County – a morgue near Pastor Ezekiel’s church and interrogated the management on allegations of cult operations at the Coast. 

In addition, Milele Funeral Home CEO, Johnson Amani Kea, affirmed that police questioned them over the number of dead bodies the morgue collected from Pastor Ezekiel’s church.