In summary
- The DCI claimed that Pastor Odero was involved in money laundering racket following his links with Pastor Paul Mackenzie
- Last week Ezekiel moved to the High Court in Mombasa seeking to bar the State from freezing the accounts
Pastor Ezekiel Odero on Monday received a huge blow after court issued an order freezing his 15 bank accounts for 30 days.
The order was issued after the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) applied to have the accounts frozen pending investigations.
The DCI claimed that Pastor Ezekiel was involved in money laundering racket following his links with Pastor Paul Mackenzie of the Good News International Church.
Pastor Mackenzie is being investigated for allegedly brainwashing his followers to starve themselves to death in order to meet Jesus.
Detectives told the court that Pastor Ezekiel’s bank accounts have been receiving huge transactions whose money is suspected to be proceeds of illicit cash from victims who were allegedly radicalised to sell their properties and gave pastor Mackenzie.
They asked the court to allow them access to several bank accounts at Equity Bank, Co-op Bank, KCB and HFC Bank.
READ ALSO; Pastor Ezekiel Odero Defies Police, Holds Church Service
Pastor Ezekiel moves to court
Detective Martin Munene told the court that they fear that the money held in the above accounts will be transferred if the court does not issue the orders to access the accounts.
“The investigations will enable the applicant to collate confirmatory evidence regarding the financial flow as per allegations,” reads the affidavit by Munene.
Last week Ezekiel moved to the High Court in Mombasa seeking to bar the State from freezing the accounts.
That matter is coming up for hearing on Tuesday.
Pastor Ezekiel had argued that freezing his accounts will be 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 on-going construction and development projects within the church premises, will stand paralyzed,” read court papers.
Lawyer Danstan Omari says that they are doing an application to have the orders vacated arguing that the State is on forum shopping, adding that the name of the magistrate in Milimani is not indicated in the orders.
