In summary
- Pastor Odero’s lawyer Danstan Omari and Samson Nyaberi have dismissed the gag order over the church for non-compliance of tax
- The lawyer says that the church is compliant in tax payment until 30th June 2023
Embattled pastor of New Life Ministry Ezekiel Odero has filed an urgent application at Milimani Law Courts seeking to discharge orders freezing his bank accounts.
The application is coming up tomorrow 11th May 2023 for interparties hearing before Chief Magistrate court for him to give a determination weather the orders were lawfully issued.
However in a swift move, Pastor Odero’s lawyer Danstan Omari and Samson Nyaberi have dismissed the gag order over the church for non-compliance of tax.
“We have certified copies of tax certificate of tax compliance from Kenya Revenue Authority to show the world that the attack against Pastor Ezekiel is a pure hoodwink,” Danstan Omari said.
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Taxman’s Nod
The lawyer says that the church is compliant in tax payment until 30th June 2023.
They however said that under the constitution the churches are exempted from tax payment and there is no law that requires religious organisations to pay tax.
“For the first time in history religious organisations are being haunted to pay tax. There is no law that compels the church or any other religious institution to pay tax or even if the benefits was to be ploughed back” Lawyer Nyaberi said.
The lawyers argued that officers from the DCI through the DPP while obtaining a freezing order failed to disclose that a similar application had been filed in Shanzu law court and orders sought to close the church’s bank account were declined.
They said non-disclusure before Nairobi magistrate court that they had filed similar application with concurrent jurisdiction is serious breach of the law.
By Rodgers Oduor
