NAIROBI, Kenya May 7 – Pastor Ezekiel Odero conducted a church service on Sunday at his New Life Prayer Centre and Church, marking his first service since being arrested and subsequently released from police custody.
On Friday, a Shanzu court released Odero on a Sh1.5 million cash bail, after he had spent seven days in police custody.
“The court is certain that the state did not act in good faith when seeking to continue detaining the respondent, as they failed to provide adequate information on the status of the investigation, as ordered.” Magistrate Joe Omido ruled.
Police accuse the pastor of having links to cult leader Paul Nthenge Mackenzie, who is in custody facing terrorism charges in connection with the “Shakahola forest massacre.”
The massacre resulted in the deaths of more than 100 individuals, including numerous children.
Mackenzie, the head of the Good News International Church, is alleged to have incited his followers to starve to death in order to “meet Jesus” in a case that has deeply shocked Kenyans.
The pastor is equally facing investigations on a raft of charges including murder, aiding suicide, abduction, radicalization, crimes against humanity, child cruelty, fraud, and money laundering.
Despite the order that his church should remain shut, Odero who appeared undaunted by his arrest and the accusations looming over him opened its doors to his numerous followers, who attended his summons in large numbers.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki had ordered that his church should remain shut pending the conclusion of the investigations over the “mass killing of his followers”.
The wealthy pastor through his lawyers Danstan Omari and Cliff Ombeta had on May 3 sought conservatory orders barring the state from closing their client’s church and its bank accounts.
“The respondents have connived an evil and malicious scheme against my client which is aimed at frustrating him and his ministry,” Omari said.
Despite returning to the pulpit to evangelize, Odero must report to the police once a week and is prohibited from speaking about the case.
Prosecutors have said in court documents that they have credible information linking the corpses exhumed at Shakahola to the deaths of several of Odero’s “innocent and vulnerable followers”.
Police are also investigating information that the bodies were kept in a privately-run morgue before being transported and buried in the forest, according to the documents.
Prosecutors have also claimed that Odero and Mackenzie share a “history of business investments” including a television station used to pass “radicalized messages” to followers.
