Pastor Ezekiel Odero of New Life Church has moved to court seeking to have his accounts unfrozen in order for him to withdraw Sh 50 million to run the church and the school.
Through lawyer Danstan Omari, the televangelist who is also in court seeking to have his Broadcast Licence suspension by CAK lifted wants the court to review its orders issued on the 8th of May 2023 and unfreeze accounts for Kilifi International School and New Life Prayer Center.
The televangelist wants the orders issued on the 8th May 2023 reviewed and vary the number of days stated in the freeze order from 30 days to 15 days
He also wants the court to review the orders to allow and limit transactions made from said accounts for the operation of the school, church and ministry up to an amount of Sh 50 Million only.
The court issued an order forbidding withdrawal transactions for 30 days in regards to the various accounts owned and managed by the televangelist.
Odero argues that freezing of the said accounts has caused extreme financial and logistical hardship to the operations of the school and ministry.
“The financial overheads of running the New Life Prayer Centre & Church and Kilifi International School cannot wait for the lapsing of 30 days as directed by the honourable court by the orders issued on the 8th of May 2023,” the televangelist states.
According to his court documents, the cash flow issues occasioned by the freezing of the Applicant’s accounts is causing a negative impact on the workers and students associated with New Life Prayer Centre and Kilifi international school.
It is his argument that the investigators have not shown valid grounds to substantiate the necessity of closing the aforementioned bank accounts for a duration of thirty days. “This unjust and irrational course of action constitutes an abuse of their investigative powers.”
Odero claims that he supports over 2000 needy students who draw their school fees from the accounts that have been unlawfully frozen and the students that he philanthropically support risk missing their fees for second term thereby making them lack their respective educational undertakings, an act that will render them destitute.
He adds “unfreezing the mentioned accounts is paramount to safeguarding the best interests of the children, ensuring their access to education as a fundamental right. The act of freezing these accounts goes against their interests and is devoid of any rationality, particularly in light of the thirty-day duration being pursued.”
Odero states that in no way has he engaged in and or gotten connected with controversial Pastor Mackenzie as alleged and no nexus, links or connection whatsoever exists between his operations and those of Pastor Mackenzie to warrant the closure of the accounts as purported in the application.
