Samples of the “holy water” and handkerchiefs used at controversial Pastor Ezekiel Odero’s church in Mavueni, Kilifi County, have been sent to the government laboratory for testing.
It emerged that these were among various items, including communication gadgets, that detectives carted away from the New Life Prayer Centre and Church during last week’s raid.
Through lawyers Jared Magolo, Danstan Omari, Cliff Ombeta and Shadrack Wamboi, the pastor told the Mombasa High Court on Monday May 29 that the detectives raided his church armed with a search warrant.
“The detectives took away the living water and the handkerchief for laboratory tests,” Mr Omari told Justice Olga Sewe. Lawyers told the court that the search warrant had been obtained from a Mombasa magistrate’s court.
The Anti-Terror Police Unit (ATPU) is said to have raided the church and seized computer drives and other communication devices.
The raid came after the Registrar of Societies issued a notice to de-register the church for allegedly failing to file tax returns.
On Monday May 29, Mr Odero, popularly known as Pastor Ezekiel, told Justice Sewe that he had already instructed his lawyers to file petitions challenging the notice issued by the society to de-register his church.
“We have instructions from the pastor to deal with the Registrar of Societies in another forum,” Mr Omari said.
The televangelist has also failed to agree with the State on the status of his petition against the government over the suspension of the frequency of his World Evangelism television channel.
