Sunday, December 30, 2024 - The family of a Tanzanian man is demanding justice after his mysterious death at the New Life Prayer Centre and Church in Mavueni, Kilifi County, which is led by controversial preacher Pastor Ezekiel Odero.
The incident reportedly occurred on December
8, 2024, during a high-profile church function, amid claims of a coordinated
cover-up by the church’s leadership and local law enforcement.
The deceased identified as
Zachariah Kyomo had reportedly travelled from Mbeya, Tanzania, and allegedly
died in Room 7 at Jordan Hotel, a facility within the church’s compound, after
paying Ksh 1 million for special prayers.
Witness accounts suggest that his wife,
devastated by the sudden loss, threatened to expose the church’s role in the
tragedy but church officials are alleged to have quickly offered her Ksh 2
million to silence her, locking the room with the body inside until they could
orchestrate a plan to manage the situation.
The following day, December
9, church officials reportedly sought the assistance of an OCS from Chasimba
Police Station which is well outside the jurisdiction to handle the matter.
An affidavit was sworn,
claiming Kyomo died while being transported to the hospital in ambulance KDR
523X.
The body was secretly removed from the
premises at around 2 a.m. and transported to Tanzania two days later.
No postmortem was conducted, yet records list
multiple pre-existing health conditions, including hypertension and diabetes as
the cause of death.
Members of the distraught
family are now questioning the inconsistencies surrounding Kyomo’s death and the
subsequent handling of the case.
They are demanding answers as
to why the body was locked in the hotel room overnight and why law enforcement
from a distant jurisdiction was involved.
“Mbona mwili wa mpendwa wetu
uliwekwa ndani ya chumba usiku mzima badala ya kufikishwa hospitali?” one
relative asked under the request of anonymity. The family has also criticized
the rushed transportation of the body to Tanzania before any thorough
investigation could take place.
These loopholes, they argue,
paint a picture of a coordinated effort to cover up what happened.
They are questioning why an
affidavit was sworn stating Kyomo died in transit when witnesses say his body
was locked in the room until late in the night.
The family has also drawn
parallels between these events and other reports of suspicious deaths linked to
the church.
On December 11, just days
after Kyomo’s death, another tragedy struck the church as a woman from Machakos
reportedly collapsed and died during a service.
Witnesses claim she passed away on the church
premises but ambulance KDR 523X was again used to transport her to Kilifi
Referral Hospital where it was allegedly staged that she died en route.
These latest mysterious death
incidents at New Life Prayer Centre and Church have raised serious concerns
regarding the practices at the church, especially amid allegations that Pastor
Ezekiel Odero may be linked to occult activities and a growing pattern of
unexplained fatalities.
There are suspicions that
some of these deaths could be connected to ritualistic practices (allegedly
endorsed by Pastor Ezekiel) at the church popular for its large gatherings and
evangelical outreach.
These claims are not without
basis, considering the tragic events surrounding the Shakahola Forest massacre.
In the aftermath of the
Shakahola incident, where over 100 bodies were discovered in mass graves, many
of the victims were believed to be followers of a cult led by Paul Nthenge
Mackenzie, who encouraged followers to starve in pursuit of spiritual
salvation.
Pastor Ezekiel’s name has repeatedly surfaced
in investigations surrounding the tragedy.
Though he has denied any direct involvement,
he admitted in April 2023 that at least 15 victims died at his church after
seeking prayers.
Some of these deaths were reportedly linked to health conditions but questions remain about the true cause of these fatalities.
The Kenyan DAILY POST.
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