Kenyan Court Dismisses Case Against Pastor Suspected of Being Involved With Starvation Death Cult

Ezekiel Odero
Televangelist Ezekiel Odero, head of the New Life Prayer Centre and Church, addresses his followers and members through a window at Maximum Miracle Center Church in downtown Nairobi. Due to the immense turnout and security reasons, the prayer meeting had to be rescheduled. The overflowing crowd filled the church and spilled into the street affecting business and normal flow of traffic. (Photo by James Wakibia / SOPA Images/Sipa USA)(Sipa via AP Images)

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Roughly six months after he was arrested on suspicion that he was involved with a starvation death cult, the case against Kenyan pastor and televangelist Ezekiel Odero has been dismissed.

Odero, the pastor of New Life Prayer Centre and Church, was arrested in April for “allegations of deaths that have been occurring at his premises and reported in various morgues or institutions.” At the time, police believed that he may have been connected to death cult leader Paul Makenzie Nthenge, who was arrested earlier that same month. 

Police say Nthenge allegedly encouraged followers to starve themselves to death so they could “meet Jesus.” After Nthenge was arrested, authorities began exhuming bodies from his property in the Shakahola forest of the coastal county of Kilifi. By August, they had determined the death toll was at least 427. 

Nthenge currently faces charges of cruelty toward children, kidnapping and murder, and terrorism. Most of his victims died of starvation but investigators have said that some were suffocated, strangled, or beaten to death.

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Nthenge was taken into custody after police raided his Good News International Church upon receiving a local tip that Nthenge was engaging in cult-like practices and encouraging his followers to fast to the point of starvation and death. Police discovered 15 victims. Though 11 survived, they were severely emaciated. 

Roughly two weeks later, Odero was arrested on suspicion that the bodies of some of his own followers, who had died waiting for Odero to miraculously heal their ailments, were buried on Nthenge’s land. 

Odero had been accused of conspiracy to commit murder and aid suicide, abduction, radicalization, genocide, crimes against humanity, child cruelty, fraud, and money laundering. However, formal charges had yet to be filed. 

RELATED: As Death Toll Mounts in Kenya Church, Local Clergy Wonder at Scale of Indoctrination

Police originally requested that the court remand Odero into custody for 30 days while they conducted their investigation. However, according to Nation, they were only granted seven days. After that, Odero was released on a bail of 1.5 million Kenyan shillings (roughly $10,000). 

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Dale Chamberlain
Dale Chamberlain (M.Div) is Content Manager for ChurchLeaders. With experience in pastoral ministry as well as the corporate marketing world, he is also an author and podcaster who is passionate about helping people tackle ancient truths in everyday settings. Dale lives in Southern California with his wife Tamara and their three sons.

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