Controversial preacher Ezekiel Odero was on Friday morning arraigned in Shanzu.
Police requested the court to detain him for 30 days pending completion of investigations.
Prosecutors told the court that they have credible evidence that some people who died at Odero’s church were buried in a piece of land in Shakahola belonging to Kilifi cult leader Paul Mackenzie.
“He is linked to several occurrence book reports of almost 100 deaths that occurred in the church between 2022 and 2023. These deaths occurred within church precincts,” Senior Prosecution Counsel Jami Yamina told the court.
Detectives also said that they have traced Sh3 million in financial transactions between Odera and Mackenzie for the purchase of a TV station.
Odera admitted to buying the TV station from Mackenzie but said the business transaction should not be linked to the Shakahola deaths.
“The buying of the tv station cannot be connected to the Shakahola killings. If such an analogue were to be sustained, then all of us who have bought second hand cars would be held responsible for the crimes committed by previous owners, including the fights with their spouses,” his lawyer argued in court.
Odero, who spent the night at the Shanzu police station, was represented by his lawyer Jared Magolo.
On the deaths recorded at Odero’s church in Mavueni, his lawyer said: “People seek spiritual intervention at the last moment, when every medical intervention has failed. Now if such a person dies are we supposed to turn to the pastor and blame him for the death?”
