NAIROBI, Kenya Apr 28 – The Communication Authority (CA) has suspended the television stations owned by Pastor Paul Mackenzie and Pastor Ezekiel Odero, who both face mass killing charges.
Ezra Chiloba, the Director General of the authority, confirmed on Friday the suspensions of World Televangelism TV and Times TV, which are associated with Odero and Mackenzie respectively.
Chiloba accused the two television stations of violating broadcasting standards by “airing inappropriate content on exorcism during the watershed period”.
“The Authority has further directed the broadcast signal distributor, Pan African Network Group (PANG) Limited, to cease carrying the two stations on its platform until further notice,” Chiloba said.
In addition to airing inappropriate exorcism content, World Evangelism TV is accused of violating 12 other broadcasting regulations, while Times TV is accused of breaking 17 other licensing conditions.
Odero, the head of the New Life Prayer Centre and Church, was arrested on Thursday in Malindi and is accused of the “mass killing” of his followers.
He appeared in court on Friday where the prosecutors said is suspected of crimes including murder, aiding suicide, abduction, radicalization, crimes against humanity, child cruelty, fraud, and money laundering.
He will spend the long Labour Day weekend in police remand pending a ruling on an application by police on May 2, 2023, to detain him for 30 days to allow a probe into alleged deaths in his church.
Odero’s arrest followed the detention of Mackenzie, a cult leader accused of the deaths of dozens of followers who were allegedly ordered to starve themselves to death to find God.
Searches began in Shakahola forest earlier this month after a tipoff to police who initially found 15 starving people, four of whom died.
The death toll now stands at 109, after 11 bodies were exhumed on Thursday.
Mackenzie, a former taxi driver who headed the Good News International Church, is in police custody and is due in court on May 2, 2023.
