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Police yesterday summoned popular Kilifi based preacher Ezekiel Odero of New Life Prayer Centre and Church to appear before detectives over claims of indoctrinating faithful.

In what appears to be a major crackdown on rogue preachers, detectives attached to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) summoned the preacher, his wife and an aide to appear before them yesterday for allegedly advancing cult like practices.

He however failed to show up with sources who sought anonymity hinting that he could have taken cover in neighboring Tanzania following the arrest of fellow preacher, Paul Nthenge Mackenzie over the Shakahola deaths caused by starvation.

Detectives are specifically investigating claims that Pastor Ezekiel was pulling critically ill followers from hospital wards to his church purportedly to perform miracles on them in order to heal.

Accused of ferrying sick

According to a senior police officer privy to the ongoing investigations, the influential preacher is facing accusations of ferrying the sick, including those suffering from terminal illness, from various hospital wards to perform healing miracles inside his church in Mavueni, Kilifi county.

There are reports that some of the patients could have died as a result of being denied medication as a result of the pastor’s actions.

“Intelligence reports indicate that some of the patients have died at the church while awaiting to undergo deliverance and miracles for them to be healed of terminal illness, these are some of the claims he should be investigated for,” said the detective.

Detectives have also recorded statements from the management and officials of Milele Funeral, Burial and Benevolent Services in Mbogolo area near the church’s headquarters in Kilifi town to establish how many bodies, if any, it has received from the church.

“Ongoing investigations are seeking to establish the number of dead bodies collected from the church,” the police report added.

The investigations come amidst alleged cult worship across several churches within the coast region following the discovery of over 90 bodies at Shakahola Ranch where followers of controversial preacher Paul Nthenge Mackenzie were starved to death.

by Reuben Mwambingu

@PeopleDailyKe

Reactions and behaviour of rescued followers of the controversial pastor Paul Mackenzie of the Shakahola horror cult, point to high levels of indoctrination they may have been subjected to.

At the Malindi Sub-county hospital, some of the victims have literally been looking for the slightest opportunity to escape the facility and possibly return to the cult.

Despite looking weak and emaciated, some of the victims exhibit stubbornness and are determined to the Mackenzie shrine and continue fasting in order to “meet Jesus.”

An elderly woman who was ferried to the hospital from Shakahola horror fields on Tuesday, caused a stir at the female ward as she resisted every attempt to get medication.

 Even though she looked frail and dehydrated, the patient violently repulsed every attempt by the health workers to administer medication to her, warning them that God’s wrath would befall them over their actions.

Then there was Shamimu Salim 27, a resident of Muyeye within Malindi constituency who reportedly left home in the company of her husband Rogers Zablon and their three children to join Mackenzie’s cult in Shakahola.

Torched documents

According to her elder sister Fatma Salim, Shamimu and her family first torched their personal documents including clinic cards, birth certificates, ID cards, academic certificates and phones before leaving for Shakahola.

“They burned every document that is linked with the government. So as we speak they have no documentation that links them with the government,” Fatma said in an interview.

 Upon arrival at Shakahola, Shamimu reportedly changed her name to Kadzo Vidzo perhaps to conceal her identity and obliterate every trace.

Fatma says all her sister’s children are among those who perished in the harrowing episode.

“We knew that the children had died through our neighbor who is a former member of the cult but after realizing that the cult was taking them in the wrong direction, she left but she has been going to Shakahola to greet them and back,” explained Fatma, adding that after the search, they were led to the grave where the bodies of the children were buried.

Fatma stated that when her sister arrived at the hospital on Monday morning and regained consciousness, she identified herself as a resident of Muyeye.

They were then called to identify her and realised that she had changed her name to Kadzo.

“My sister accused us of denying her a clear chance to meet Jesus. She said she had already met the angels and they were preparing to take her in but they stopped after she was rescued, saying she was still energetic. She said she had started enjoying the party but after they fed her the party stopped. She said the party will continue once they stop feeding her, meaning she is ready to go back to the cult once she recovers,” Fatma said in an interview at the hospital.

It has now emerged that Mackenzie and his team used to take away foodstuffs from his followers forcing them into prolonged fasting and subsequent starvation. Rescued victims of the cult recounted how they would return home only to find their foodstuffs stolen by Mackenzie and his trusted generals.