Bishop Gilbert Juma Deya linked to the ‘miracle babies saga’ has been acquitted.
Deya was charged with five counts of stealing five children, all aged below 14 years, between 2002 and 2004, at Mountain View estate.
At the time of the alleged offences, he was in the UK, then the headquarters of his church.
The televangelist who owns Gilbert Deya Ministries appeared at Milimani Law Courts Monday and was set free for lack of sufficient evidence.
Senior Principal Magistrate Robinson Ondiek ruled that the prosecution didn’t prove their case.
Deya was deported from the UK by the authorities on August 4, 2017, after he was charged in Kenya with stealing and harbouring five infants in his house.
He denied all the five counts levelled against him by the state. Deya led by his lawyer John Swaka had asked the court to acquit him for lack of evidence saying he was maliciously charged with the same offence that his wife was charged with and acquitted for lack of evidence.
The elated televangelist regretted that his reputation had been damaged even as he thanked God for his freedom.
“I have suffering since 2004, It has been a yoke on my shoulder, that has put me in a dilemma. It is sad that I have been labelled a child trafficker. I thank the British government for giving me protection for 12 years. They said I had no case to answer based on evidence given to them …. My reputation has been damaged but I am grateful that am free and I will continue with the mission Jesus gave me on earth” he told journalists.
His lawyer said his client was arrested on trumped-up charges.
