Pastor Ezekiel joyful after court gives him reprieve

Pastor Ezekiel Odero has been granted a reprieve after a court reduced the number of days his bank accounts will remain frozen from 30 to 14.

Milimani Law Court Magistrate BenMark Ekhubi made the ruling on Friday, May 20, 2023. He said the orders will lapse on Sunday, May 22, 2023, but will be extended to Monday, May 23, 2023, as it is a weekend.

The matter will be mentioned on Monday for further directions.

In his ruling, Magistrate Ekhubi said he was within the law to grant police orders to freeze Pastor Odero’s accounts. He also dismissed a preliminary objection by the state which was challenging Pastor Odero’s application to review the orders freezing his accounts.

On Thursday, May 19, 2023, the investigating officer said they were yet to conclude investigations into the accounts.

Pastor Ezekiel Odero is the founder of Repentance and Holiness Church in Nairobi. He was arrested on May 11, 2023, and charged with money laundering. The charges stemmed from an investigation by the Assets Recovery Agency (ARA).

ARA alleges that Pastor Odero used his church to launder money amounting to Ksh1 billion. The agency also claims that Pastor Odero acquired assets worth Ksh100 million using the proceeds of crime.

Pastor Odero has denied the charges and has been released on bail. He is expected to appear in court again on June 6, 2023.