A Mombasa Court has cleared Pastor Ezekiel Odero of the New Life Prayer Center from a case linking him to the Shakahola massacre.
In a ruling delivered on Tuesday, October 31, the court also directed the state to refund Ksh1.5 million he had paid as cash bail.
The ruling came after months of investigations and grilling involving both investigative agencies and members of parliament.
On Monday, October 30, the New Life and Prayer Center leader had filed an application seeking closure of the case.
Pastor Ezekiel through his lawyer argued that the prosecution side had failed to prove his involvement in the massacre. Consequently, the court gave the prosecution a deadline of Tuesday, October 31 to respond to Ezekiel’s application.
According to lawyer Cliff Ombeta, the prosecution side had failed to prefer charges against his client hence delaying that court process and soiling his reputation.
However, he gave the state a timeline to respond to Ombeta’s application.
The televangelist’s name was dragged to the case after authorities investigating the massacre alleged that his television station was used by detained Pastor Paul Mackenzi in his operations.
However, his lawyer asserted that Ezekiel had only bought the tv station from Mackenzi.
In response to the evidence linking Ezekiel’s TV station to Mackenzie, the lawyers noted that the analogy used by the investigators in the case to link the station to the massacre could not stand.
Also Read: Pastor Ezekiel Sets Record Straight on Links with Paul Mackenzie
Pastor Ezekiel probed by Senators
Moreover, Pastor Ezekiel’s activities were also subjected to investigations by a special Senate Committee.
The Committee chaired by Tana River Senator Danson Mungatana grilled Pastor Ezekiel and even toured the New Life and Prayer Center facility in Kilifi County for a fact-finding mission.
Nonetheless, the probe would later culminate in another controversy after a question on alleged misappropriation of funds emerged.
