Pastor Ezekiel Allowed To Access His 16 Bank Accounts
The televangelist is free to access his accounts after a 15-day period issued by the court lapsed.
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New Life International Church Pastor Ezekiel Odero on Monday, May 22 breathed a sigh of relief after the court allowed him to access his 16 bank accounts that were under investigation.
The court was told that five local banks had complied with the order which granted investigations into the preacher's various accounts.
During a cross-examination by Lawyer Danstan Omari, Inspector Martin Munene told the court that none of the accounts is in the name of Pastor Ezekiel, according to the documentation received, and instead, all accounts were either for the church or the school.
The televangelist is therefore free to access his accounts after a 15-day period issued by the court lapsed.
Pastor Ezekiel carrying a Bible after being arrested in Mombasa on April 27, 2023. /TWITTER
It is a blow to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) which had requested the court to extend orders freezing Pastor Ezekiel's bank accounts based on the ongoing investigations into the controversial pastor, as they are taking longer than expected.
As per the initial directives from the court, the bank accounts freezing orders lapsed on Sunday, May 21 and was extended to Monday, May 22.
DCI had asked for seven more days to have a local telco appear in court and explain their reason for not complying with orders, which delayed investigations into Pastor Ezekiel's previously-frozen accounts.
“The applicant cannot complete investigations in the absence of information sought from the 6th respondent,” the court was told.
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.
"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.
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.
The televangelist was being investigated for at least 14 offences that include; murder, aiding suicide, abduction, radicalisation, genocide, crimes against humanity, child cruelty, fraud and money laundering.
