Pastor Ezekiel's 16 Bank Accounts Frozen Amid DCI Probe

New Life International Church Pastor Ezekiel Odero on Monday, May 8 lost in his attempt to prevent the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) from gaining access to his 16 bank accounts.

The DCI moved to court to request permission to access the bank accounts and carry out investigations on money laundering claims and were allowed to scrutinise them following a ruling that was delivered by Milimani Chief Magistrate Court.

Chief Inspector Martin Munene requested the court to probe the accounts, asserting that large sums of money suspected to be proceeds of illegal cash had been transferred into the accounts from victims who were allegedly radicalized to sell their properties.

The court at the same time issued an order freezing Pastor Ezekiel's bank accounts for 30 days.

"It is necessary and desirable to issue the applicant with a warrant to investigate books of bank and mobile money services accounts so as to authorize the officer to have access to books relating to several account numbers," the DCI told the court.

DCI had on Monday, May 1, asked the court to grant orders so that its officers may access the bank accounts.

The detectives specifically sought orders to inspect, obtain information and demand to be supplied with certified copies of the account opening documents, bank account statements, signatories of the accounts, and RTGS (swift) for the period between January 14, 2017, to April 30, 2023.

They also requested to be granted access to any other relevant document that may aid them in completing investigations on a suspected case of money laundering, further claiming that the scrutiny of the bank accounts may also reveal the link between Pastor Ezekiel and Paul Mackenzie.

"To issue an order compelling managers of the 1" and 3, 4th, 5th and 6th respondents herein to respectively nominate an authorised person(s) to record statement, make and give to the investigating officer," the DCI stated in court documents.

The accounts belong to five local banks, with the DCI sleuths allowed to investigate Pastor Ezekiel's seven mobile money accounts.

Pastor Ezekiel through his lawyer Danstan Omari had previously moved to court to block the DCI from accessing the bank accounts with the intention of freezing them.

“In the interim and pending the hearing and determination of this application, this honourable court be pleased to issue a conservatory order temporarily restraining the respondents from taking adverse action against Odero or New Life Prayer Center and Church including the freezing of the church accounts in two local banks," the court papers read in part.

The televangelist was set free on a Ksh1.5 million cash bail or a Ksh3 million bond on Thursday, May 4.

He was however barred by a court from making comments in public about the Shakahola Massacre amidst ongoing investigations.