Defiant Ezekiel ignores State ban to hold service

New Life Prayer Centre and Church yesterday defied a police order to close the premises due to ongoing criminal investigations facing the televangelist and attended a prayer service.

 The service was preceded by an impromptu visit by Azimio leader Raila Odinga, who on Saturday toured the mega church located at Mavueni in Kilifi and pledged to support him, amid investigations into his alleged involvement in several crimes.

 Ezekiel and fellow televangelist Paul Mackenzie are under investigation over the Shakahola tragedy in Kilifi in which more than 100 people died from starvation, under Mackenzie’s instructions.

 On Sunday morning, it was a hive of activity as hundreds of worshippers trooped the church perched at the expansive Mavueni land in Kilifi for Sunday service.

 Police who had gathered at the premises to enforce a verbal order by Coast Regional Coordinator Rhoda Onyancha were overwhelmed by a huge crowd of people who attended the service, forcing them to walk away and let the prayers continue.

 “The compound hosts different businesses so it was illegal to barricade the gate. We have asked police to let worshippers in. They had no option but to let them in,” lawyer Cliff Ombeta said while addressing a media briefing at the church premises yesterday.

 Lawyers, led by Danston Omari argued that no court order was issued to close the premises and that the regional commissioner only communicated the instruction verbally without any documentation to support it.

 “We asked them for any court order or a written document from any authority instructing the service should not be held. As far as we are concerned, there was no court order blocking the Sunday service. So, we engaged them asking for the same and they could not serve us,” Omari said.

The followers camped outside the church from as early as 5am but were blocked by police before Ombeta and Omari intervened at about 7.30am letting them inside.

 “We will hold the police officers individually responsible for the losses that have been incurred. We will demand compensation for the time they have closed the church and the government has a role to stop any church congregation,” said Omari.

 However, Raila’s visit has left tongues wagging. Raila visited the New Life Church after he had attended a burial ceremony in Chonyi in Kilifi.

Ezekiel was released on a Sh1.5 million cash bail following his arrest in connection with the Shakahola killings.

 Shanzu Senior Principal Magistrate Joe Omido, who threw out an application by the State to continue holding him for 30 more days gave him an alternative bond of Sh3 million.

Alternative bond

 The preacher had already spent seven days in custody at Port Police Station.

In a video that went viral, Raila and Ezekiel are seen taking a walk inside Ezekiel’s church as they conversed.

They later went to Ezekiel’s mansion located within the same compound where they held talks.

They were accompanied by Ombeta and Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung’aro. This came a day after the Orange party leader was barred by police from accessing the Shakahola graves site.

During the visit, Raila was taken on a tour of the expansive church.

Prosecutors accuse Ezekiel of links to cult leader Mackenzie, who is in custody facing terrorism charges over the deaths of more than 100 people and many of them children in the Shakahola area within Malindi in Kilifi.

Mackenzie, the head of the Good News International Church, is alleged to have incited his followers to starve to death in order to ‘meet Jesus’ in a case that has deeply shocked Kenyans.

Raila’s visit to pastor Ezekiel’s church came barely hours after the former Prime Minister was denied access to Shakahola forest, where bodies have been exhumed for a fortnight now.

On Friday, May 5, Raila was accompanied to the fields by a host of local leaders, including Malindi MP Amina Mnyazi and Kilifi Woman Rep Gertrude Mbeyu. The operation commander said they were instructed not to allow unauthorised persons into the forest.

This happened as three more people were found alive in Shakahola on Saturday as the search for survivors continue, raising the number of people rescued so far to 61.

Coast Regional Commissioner Rhoda Onyancha made the announcement, saying the three were adult women.

 In another update on Saturday, Martin Nyuguto, the Homicide Director at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, said exhumations will resume today.