Authorities in Kenya have arrested Ezekiel Odero, the head of the New Life Prayer Centre and Church, and have charged him with crimes related to the mass killing of his followers.
Authorities have shut down the church and evacuated over 100 people who were holed up at the premises for questioning. Odero’s arrest comes after the discovery of dozens of bodies linked to another church in the same region.
People who were holed up at the premises have been evacuated for questioning. Odero’s arrest comes after the discovery of dozens of bodies linked to another church in the same region.
The investigation into the deaths of 98 people linked to a church led by Paul Mackenzie Nthenge is currently ongoing in Kenya. However, the charges against Nthenge are not linked to the recent arrest of Ezekiel Odero, the head of the New Life Prayer Centre and Church, who is facing charges related to the mass killing of his followers.
Odero is a wealthy televangelist who draws massive crowds to his church located south of Malindi, which has a seating capacity of 40,000 people. He promotes the sale of “holy” scraps of cloth at his mega-rallies, claiming that they have healing properties.
Following the discovery of dozens of bodies linked to Nthenge’s church, the government promised to crack down on fringe religious denominations. The bodies were found on a property near Malindi and included more than half of the children. The police fear that the death toll could rise as their search widens.