Flamboyant Coast-based televangelist Pastor Ezekiel Odero has been grilled by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) as investigations into the mysterious deaths related to cultic worship at the Coast deepen.
Multiple reports indicate that Pastor Ezekiel recorded a statement with Kilifi DCI on Tuesday, April 25 over his doctrine and church operations.
He operates the New Life Church based in Malindi, Kilifi County.
It is alleged that a morgue located near Pastor Ezekiel’s church has been collecting dead bodies from the church.
A source who spoke to one of the leading local dailies revealed that the DCI officers also visited Milele Funeral Home and grilled the CEO Mr. Johnson Amani Kea and his staff on the number of dead bodies the morgue collected from Pastor Ezekiel’s church.
Last week, reports emerged that the morgue had filed a complaint with the police against Pastor Ezekiel on claims that he had killed its business by performing rituals and driving away customers on allegations that the funeral home had been built at a blackspot with an aim of getting more people killed in accidents for the business to boom.
However, the funeral home’s CEO has denied the allegations, noting that they have not filed any complain with the police.
“We did not file a complaint. The police are in the process of recording statements on how many bodies we have handled so far from pastor Ezekiel’s church,” Mr Amani was quoted by the local daily.
On Tuesday, April 25, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki confirmed that police officers were investigating other flamboyant preachers whose teachings appeared contrary to what the Law advocates for.
Investigations into the life and doctrines of Pastor Ezekiel follows the Shakahola massacre, in which over 90 bodies were exhumed and over 30 people were rescued while starving themselves to death.
Controversial Pastor, Paul Mackenzie was arrested, with the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji recommending the following charges; terrorism, genocide, radicalisation and aiding individuals to kill themselves.
