Pastor Ezekiel Odero’s legal defense team now includes city attorneys Danstan Omar and Cliff Ombeta.
Pastor Odero is accused of murdering multiple people.
After being arrested in court on Friday, it was decided that the televangelist will remain behind bars until May 2.
Speaking outside the Port Police Station where the pastor is being detained, they emphasized their client’s innocence during a press event.
Danstan Omari, a lawyer, claimed that since the Church’s founding more than a year ago, only 15 people have passed away there.
He claimed that the death of a person in Shakahola is in no way related to their client.
According to Mr. Omari, who spoke to Nairobi News, he will be defending the preacher who has already been questioned by detectives about the killings of his followers.
“I will be representing Pastor Ezekiel in court and all we are interested in is justice,” said Mr Omari who will work on the case alongside Pastor Odero’s other lawyer Mr Jared Magolo.
Detectives are seeking to establish why members of Pastor Odero’s New Life International Church in Kilifi County have been dying in their numbers.
In his statement, Pastor Odero is reported to have told detectives that people who have ever died in his church were taken there while critically ill.
A detective privy to the ongoing investigations who spoke to Nairobi News in confidence said the clergyman was also questioned on why he did not report the deaths to the police before taking the bodies to the mortuary.
Pastor Ezekiel’s lawyer defends him
Pastor Ezekiel’s lawyer Jared Magolo has strongly defended his client over alleged deaths that happen at his New Life Prayer Centre church in Mavueni, Malindi.
Ezekiel was arrested on Thursday, April 27, over allegations of indoctrination and linkage to bodies that are booked into several morgues in Malindi, Kilifi sub-county.
READ: The rise and rise of Pastor Ezekiel Odero: See his wealth and properties
While appearing in court on Friday, April 28, Magolo strongly defended Ezekiel against subjection to a 30-day extended detention and allegations that he was being probed for deaths linked to his church.
Magolo, insinuating that some people might have died at the church, argued that Ezekiel could not be held accountable for the death of a churchgoer who had gone to seek prayers as the last resort.
” You cannot blame a pastor for the death of a church goer. Very sick people are brought in for prayers, majorly as a last resort. They may or may not survive. My client has been reporting these deaths for those who never got healed,” Magolo said.
He argued that it was common for people to seek spiritual intervention when they are dying and as a last resort and cited the Biblical woman who had the issue of blood for 12 years who went and touched the hem of Jesus’ garment and got healed.
