Police now seek to detain Pastor Ezekiel Odero for 30 more days

Police now want to be allowed to detain Pastor Ezekiel Odero for 30 more days to complete investigations against him.

The New Life Prayer Centre and Church pastor was arrested on Thursday and police say that there is credible information linking him to the bodies exhumed at the Shakahola land in Malindi, Kilifi County.

They added that there are several followers of his ministry whom they believe have met their death in their quest for divine intervention.

In a miscellaneous application on Friday, the police said intelligence information has established several deaths within the precincts of New Life Prayer Centre and Church and were reported at Kilifi Police Station between last year and this year.

Pastor Ezekiel is being investigated over several offences including fraud, money laundering, murder, aiding suicide, radicalisation, crimes against humanity, and child cruelty.

“Police have collected several burial permits that were issued to several individuals whose names and telephones numbers have been disclosed in these records,” read court papers.

“However, the investigators hold reasonable apprehension that the respondents may interfere with the individuals regarded as potential witnesses before getting to the bottom of the questions whether the dead bodies were indeed released to kin for interment or buried at Shakahola under suspicious circumstances.”

Over 100 people were evacuated from the controversial preacher’s church at Mavueni after his arrest on Thursday.