‘Si uchawi, ni maombi’: Pastor Ezekiel Odero’s followers celebrate after he is freed

Controversial pastor Ezekiel Odero of the New Life Prayer Centre and Church has been released after spending a week in police custody, in-between court appearances.

Odero was on Thursday freed by a Mombasa court on a Ksh.3 million bond and one surety, or a Ksh.1.5 million cash bail.

The wealthy televangelist's was received outside the courtroom by a throng of his followers who chanted "si uchawi, ni maombi" as they hoisted him up in the air.

Odero’s release comes after the High Court in Mombasa had certified as urgent a matter in which he sought orders to stop the government from freezing 15 of his bank accounts.

Lady Justice Olga Sewe directed Odero to file the papers to the respondents named in the petition and to appear for an inter partes hearing next week.

"Having perused and considered the Notice of Motion dated 3rd May 2023 together with the averments set out in its Supporting Affidavit, sworn on 3rd May 2023 by Ev. Ezekiel Ombok Odero, I am satisfied that the said application is indeed urgent," Justice Sewe said in court documents seen by Citizen Digital.

"It is hereby ordered that the application be and is hereby certified urgent and the same be served forthwith on the respondents for inter partes hearing on 8th May 2023."

In his petition, Odero argued that by freezing his accounts the State is 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 paralysed,” read court papers.

He also wanted the court to throw out an earlier ruling that suspended operations at World Evangelism Television, a TV station owned by the pastor.

Odero was arrested on Thursday last week over the "mass killing of his followers" and closed his New Life Prayer Centre and Church that lies south of the coastal town of Malindi.

Prosecutors accused him of links to cult leader Paul Nthenge Mackenzie, who is in custody facing terrorism charges over the deaths of more than 100 people, many of them children, in what has been dubbed the "Shakahola forest massacre."