Pastor Ezekiel Odero To Be Charged With Mass Killing Of Followers- Kindiki
Kindiki confirmed that his church, New Life Prayer Centre, was shut down and over 100 people held at the premises were evacuated.
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Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has announced that Pastor Ezekiel Odero of New International Life Church, Kilifi will face criminal charges with regard to the mass killing of his followers.
In a statement on Thursday, April 27, Kindiki confirmed that his church, New Life Prayer Centre, was shut down and over 100 people held at the premises were evacuated.
"It is notified for information of the general public that today Thursday, 27th April 2023, Mr Ezekiel Ombok Odero the Head of New Life Prayer Centre/Church at Mavueni within Malindi Sub-County of Kilifi County has been arrested and is being processed to face criminal charges related to the mass killing of his followers.
Pastor Ezekiel carrying a Bible after being arrested in Mombasa on April 27, 2023. /TWITTER
"The said Church has been shut down. The over 100 people who were holed up at the premises have been evacuated and will be required to record statements," stated Kindiki in part.
This comes after Pastor Ezekiel was arrested in Mombasa on suspicion of being pastor Paul Mackenzie's accomplice in the Shakahola massacre.
"This morning we have arrested Pastor Ezekiel Odero at Makueni in Kilifi County for allegations of the deaths that have been occurring at his premises and reported in various media institutions.
"We have also taken action and closed the prayer centre. We are urging and giving information to the public that the church has been closed and whatever was in there has been cleared out," stated Coast Regional Commissioner Rhodah Onyancha.
Onyancha further noted that Pastor Ezekiel was being questioned by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Mombasa County, adding that 22 suspects believed to be Mackenzie's accomplices were apprehended.
A contingent of DCI officers questioned the management of the Mortuary, which is located near Pastor Ezekiel's church, on Wednesday, April 26.
Pastor Ezekiel was also questioned over the alleged deaths in his church but denied the indoctrination accusations presented against him.
While inspecting the exhumation operation at Shakahola on Tuesday, April 25, CS Kindiki stated that the National Police Service (NPS) was eyeing flamboyant preachers whose teachings flout the rule of law.
“Any faith that kills people or engages in criminal activities in the name of religion must be stopped, and this is the time to stop these charlatans," said the CS.
Meanwhile, the Kenya Red Cross reported on April 27 that 360 people were reported missing as the operation to exhume bodies in Shakahola continues.
By the time of publication, 98 bodies had been exhumed from pastor Mackenzies' Shakahola forest land, with detectives pursuing the angle of the victims being murdered and not starved to death as initially thought.
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