Pastor Ezekiel Odero hires top lawyer Danstan Omari
New Life Prayer Centre and Church leader, Pastor Ezekiel Odero, who is facing criminal charges related to mass killing, has hired the services of seasoned Nairobi lawyer Danstan Omari.
Pastor Odero made the announcement on Friday following his arrest yesterday over his links cult leader Paul Mackenzie of Good News International Church.
Speaking exclusively to Nairobi News, Mr Omari said he will be representing the pastor who has already been grilled by detectives over the deaths of his followers.
“I will be representing Pastor Ezekiel in court and all we are interested in is justice,” said Mr Omari who will work on the case alongside Pastor Odero’s other lawyer Mr Jared Magolo.
Also read: Salasya – Leave Pastor Ezekiel Odero alone!
Detectives are seeking to establish why members of Pastor Odero’s New Life International Church in Kilifi County have been dying in their numbers.
In his statement, Pastor Odero is reported to have told detectives that people who have ever died in his church were taken there while critically ill.
A detective privy to the ongoing investigations who spoke to Nairobi News in confidence said the clergyman was also questioned on why he did not report the deaths to the police before taking the bodies to the mortuary.
The pastor said he did not know that was the procedure.
On Tuesday, Pastor Odero was summoned by police officers in Kilifi where he was grilled for hours over claims that he was also involved in occultism.
Also read: How Paul Mackenzie’s church was rocked with leadership crisis for years
He denied the claims before Kilifi detectives who told him they would summon him again when needed.
Pastor Odero was grilled after detectives questioned the management of Milele Funeral Home in Mavueni which is situated near the church linked to the man of God.
The pastor’s lawyer Mr Jared Magolo also failed to inform journalists whether there is a relationship between Pastor Odero and cult leader Paul Mackenzie of Good News International Church.
“I don’t know,” the lawyer said.
Mr Mackenzie was arrested in mid-March after it emerged that he led a team that buried his followers in shallow graves.
Also read: Pastor Ezekiel Odero to face criminal charges related to mass killing