Pastor Ezekiel Odero of the New Life Prayer Centre and church will face criminal charges related to mass killing of his followers, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has said.

The televangelist was Thursday morning arrested and taken to Mombasa for further questioning after spending a better part of Wednesday with Kilifi DCI officers.

He was taken to the Coast Police Headquarters.

CS Kindiki has confirmed that church has been closed down and over 100 people who were holed up at the premises have been evacuated and will be required to record statements.

“It is notified for information of the general public that today Thursday, 27th April 2023, Mr Ezekiel Ombok Odero the Head of New Life Prayer Centre/Church at Mavueni within Malindi Sub-County of Kilifi County has been arrested and is being processed to face criminal charges related to mass killing of his followers. The said Church has been shut down. The over 100 people who were holed up at the premises have been evacuated and will be required to record statements,” reads Kindiki’s tweet.

The televangelist is accused of being an accomplice of Pastor Paul Mackenzie. 

Briefing the media on Thursday, April 27, Coast Regional Commissioner Rhodah Onyancha said various deaths have been reported on his premises and some recorded in morgues that may be linked to him.

The pastor denied the claims of occultism at his church before Kilifi detectives on Wednesday.

Police aware of the developments said the move to summon him on Wednesday was prompted by the ongoing exhumation of bodies from a farm in Shakahola Forest.

The farm is linked to pastor Paul Mackenzie of Good News International Church.