A Mombasa high court Monday allowed televangelist Ezekiel Odero’s church to continue its operations.
Justice Olga Sewe ruled that the New Life Centre church in Mavueni, Kilifi County can continue holding its services.
However, the court declined to issue orders on reopening the TV station being operated by the church directing him to forward his complaint to the media tribunal.
Sewe also declined to grant orders on unfreezing the bank accounts saying her court has no jurisdiction to deal with the issue and directed parties file the application at Milimani high court.
[inline_related_posts title=”Also Read ” title_align=”left” style=”list” number=”3″ align=”none” ids=”” by=”categories” orderby=”rand” order=”DESC” hide_thumb=”no” thumb_right=”no” views=”no” date=”yes” grid_columns=”2″ post_type=”” tax=””]
Ezekiel through lawyers Danstan Omari, Cliff Ombeta and Shadrack Wambui had made an application seeking to reopen his church and TV station.
A court 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, who 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 radicalised 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 201 bodies from shallow graves in Shakahola forest, Kilifi county which sparked the probe. The exhumation is ongoing.