By Samuel Ouma
Police in Kenya on Thursday arrested another pastor linked to a cult that has claimed more than 100 lives in the country.
Televangelist Ezekiel Odero of the new Life Prayer Centre in Malindi, the coastal part of the country, is accused of being an accomplice of Pastor Paul Mackenzie, the leader of a starvation cult who indoctrinated his followers to fast to death to see Jesus.
Addressing the media, Coast Regional Commissioner Rhodah Onyancha stated that several deaths have been reported on Ezekiel’s premises, and some have been documented in morgues that may be related to him.
“We have arrested Pastor Ezekiel Ombok Odero of the New Prayer Centre and Church at Mavueni, Kilifi County over the death allegations that have been occurring at his premises and reported in various morgues or institutions,” said Onyancha.
According to Onyancha, Pastor Ezekiel’s church has also been closed down while a probe is underway.
“We have closed down the prayer center moving forward. Whoever is in there has been cleared out. We will be giving you updates as we progress with investigations,” she added.
Ezekiel is currently being held at the Coast Police Headquarters, pending his arraignment tomorrow.
Following Pastor Ezekiel’s arrest, his enraged supporters flocked to the streets to protest. They threatened to attack the police station where he was being detained.
They defended their leader, stating that he had transformed the locals’ economic landscape and that arresting him would hamper commerce.
Five more bodies were exhumed on Thursday at Shakahola Forest, the crime scene where several members of preacher Paul Mackenzie are thought to have been buried after starving to death.
This brings the total number of deaths to 103.
Journalists were still banned from entering the site, infuriating the Media Council of Kenya (MCK). According to the council, restricting the media access to report on such a topic of public importance will result in a deluge of misinformation, rumours, and confusion.
“We note that it is the media that drew attention of the country to the sad happening for several weeks before any Government of Kenya intervention. We call for establishment of a media centre and regular press briefings on site to ensure media access &dissemination of accurate information to Kenyans,” said the MCK in a statement.
Meanwhile, Kenya’s Senate has established an ad hoc committee to investigate the expansion of religious organizations and the circumstances behind the fatalities.
The 11-member committee will produce a comprehensive report outlining the massacre and why security officials did not spot it.
