Security was Tuesday, May 2 enhanced at Shanzu law courts in Kilifi where two controversial pastors linked to a deadly cult are expected.
Goods News International church pastor Paul Mackenzie, New Life Prayer Centre, and Church pastor Ezekiel Odero are scheduled to appear before the Shanzu Law Courts.
The State has linked both Makenzi and Ezekiel to the deaths in Shakahola where more than 110 bodies were found buried.
Ezekiel was last Thursday arrested at his Mavueni church in Kilifi County and is being detained at Port Police Station ahead of the court appearance to know his fate.
Makenzi allegedly indoctrinated his followers to starve to death to meet Jesus.
Some victims are said to have been killed before dying.
Ezekiel will know if he will be released on bond pending an ongoing probe into the saga.
Police want 30 days to hold Ezekiel to enable them complete investigations.
This is because postmortem on the bodies is yet to be completed.
The exercise is set to end Friday on the first batch of the 110 bodies before more exhumations continue.
While the two pastors expect to be given a bond, the prosecution wants them detained for more days for investigations to be completed.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) linked Ezekiel and Makenzi to the Shakahola forest deaths where more than 110 bodies have been found.
Ezekiel’s lawyer Jared Magolo said in court that the prosecution was on a fishing expedition because it had not given any evidence linking his client to Makenzi.
“You cannot blame a pastor for the death of a churchgoer if family members themselves take very sick people to the church, which is always the last resort,” he noted.
DPP painted Ezekiel as Makenzi’s accomplice and sought 30 days to detain him pending investigations.
State prosecutor Alexander Jamii told the court that Ezekiel and Mackenzie share a common history and cited a television station used to pass radicalization messages.
On Monday, Ezekiel’s other lawyers Danstan Omari and Cliff Ombeta visited his Mavueni church.
They said the church was not linked to Milele funeral home located 10 kilometres away.
In Malindi, Kenya Red Cross Society said 410 adherents believed to have joined Makenzi in Shakahola are still missing.
