Detectives will now have access to M-Pesa accounts belonging to embattled Kilifi Pastor Ezekiel Odero who is under probe over alleged money laundering and potential links to cult leader Paul Makenzi.
This is after Mobile service provider, Safaricom complied with a court to disclose pastor Ezekiel’s M-Pesa statements and those of his church
Safaricom senior manager and liaison officer, Weldon Syongok, told the court that all financial statements with respect to seven Mpesa accounts have been handed over to the investigating officer Chief Inspector of Police Martin Munene.
The DCI on May 8 obtained orders compelling Safaricom and five banks to supply account transactions of Pastor Odero and his New Life Church and Kilifi International School.
Through Munene, the police sought summons claiming that Safaricom is yet to comply with the orders even after it was officially served with a court order to allow them access to the books accounts of the M-Pesa lines belonging to Odero.
Syongok, however, told trial magistrate, Ben Ekhubi, that the documents were bulky and the information required by the investigating officer was backdated from 2017 to 2023 and it was therefore not possible to download the statements within a short period of time.
Last week, the court directed Safaricom to provide the information by Tuesday at noon.
Shakahola massacre
Elsewhere, Mijikenda Kaya elders have urged the government to deregister cult-like religious institutions that take advantage and prey on vulnerable Kenyans to prevent the recurrence of incidents like the Shakahola massacre.
The elders said allowing preachers like Paul Mackenzie to propagate cult-like teachings was a threat to the lives of Kenyans.
The elders led by Saidi Chitanda, were speaking in Marafa during a meeting attended by Magarini MP, Harrison Kombe. The legislator, on his part, condemned the Shakahola tragedy, saying proper mechanisms should be put in place to prevent a recurrence of similar incidents.
