Pastor Ezekiel Odero released after a week in the cells

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New Life Prayer Center and Church Pastor Ezekiel Odero at Shanzu Law Courts. He was released on a sh.3 million bond and a surety of the same or alternatively pay a sh.1.5 cash bail./COURTESY

Pastor Ezekiel Odero of the New Life Prayer Center and Church has been released.

Pastor Ezekiel was released on Thursday by Shanzu Court after spending seven days in police custody following his arrest on Thursday last week.

Shanzu Senior Principle Magistrate Joe Omido released Pastor Ezekiel Ombok Odero on a sh.3 million bond a surety of the same amount or alternatively pay a cash bail of 1.5 million. The bond terms shall remain in force until Odero is formally charged.

Senior Principal Magistrate Omido also ordered Pastor Ezekiel to report to the Investigation Officer (IO) once a week.

Pastor Ezekiel was further barred from publicly commenting on the ‘Shakahola Massacre’.

The Shanzu Senior Principal also threw out an application by the prosecution seeking to detain the Pastor for 30 days.

Pastor Ezekiel Odero’s followers celebrate after he was freed./COURTESY

“The Prosection through Coast Regional Head Mr. Peter Kiprop, Mr. Anthony Musyoka, and Mr. Victor Simbi had made an application seeking to have Odero detained for 30 days,” read a statement from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution.

The Prosecution had told the court that although the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) provides for the detention of suspects for 365 days, they were only seeking 30 days.

Odero was arrested on Thursday last week over allegations of deaths at his church premises.

“Allegations have been put that the pastor is involved in taking bodies to Shakahola. I am appealing to all Kenyans who have ever come to the church, who have ever brought a patient who has died and was taken to Shakahola to go to the nearest police station and give the evidence,” said Lawyer Danstan Omari during Pastor Ezekiel’s arraignment on Tuesday.

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