A Nairobi court Monday ordered that embattled pastor Ezekiel Odero’s bank accounts which were frozen on May 8, 2023, be opened.
The court was told that five banks including Cooperative, NCBA, Equity, KCB, and HFC complied with the order allowing investigations into the preacher’s various accounts.
Police Inspector Martin Munene told the court that from the documentation received none of the bank accounts is in the name of pastor Ezekiel.
All accounts were either for the church or the school which is however being run by Ezekiel.
Ezekiel is now free to access his accounts after a 15-day period issued by the court lapsed.
The police had asked the court to extend the orders freezing the accounts to allow Safaricom to comply with the orders.
However, the court declined the request.
A court had issued an order freezing controversial pastor Ezekiel’s 32 bank accounts for 30 days.
This follows an application by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to have the accounts frozen pending investigations.
The DCI claimed Ezekiel of New Life Prayer Centre and Church was suspected of money laundering due to his links with
Pastor Paul Mackenzie of the Good News International Church, is being probed for allegedly luring members of his church to starve themselves to death in order to “meet Jesus”.
Detectives told the court Ezekiel’s bank accounts have been receiving huge transactions whose money is suspected to be proceeds of illicit cash from victims who were allegedly radicalized to sell their properties and gave pastor Mackenzie.
They, therefore, asked the court to allow them access to several bank accounts at Equity Bank, Co-operative Bank, KCB, and HFC Bank.
Police said they fear that the money held in the accounts will be transferred if the court does not issue the orders to access the accounts.
“The investigations will enable the applicant to collate confirmatory evidence regarding the financial flow as per allegations,” reads the affidavit by police.
Ezekiel had argued that freezing his accounts will be infringing on his and his congregation’s freedom of worship while further noting that the threat to freeze his church’s bank accounts is part of an unconventional path the State has allegedly taken to frustrate his ministry.
“The operations of the church, including ongoing construction and development projects within the church premises, will stand paralyzed,” read court papers.
Ezekiel was released from custody on a Sh1 million cash bail.
Police have exhumed 238 bodies from shallow graves in Shakahola forest, Kilifi county which prompted the probe.
The exhumation is ongoing.
