Police Shut Down Pastor Ezekiel's Church, Lock Out Worshippers

Pastor Ezekiel Odero's New Life Prayer Centre and Church in Nyeri was Sunday shut down by police who conducted an impromptu raid on the facility that has been operational for barely a month. 

Pastor  Martin David Manyasi who was running the church said police stormed their office, conducted a search, and walked away with an undisclosed amount of the money and offering envelopes.

"More than 300 worshippers had turned up for service on Sunday but they were locked out by the police. We were not able to conduct a church service," Manyasi said. 

He was addressing the press alongside the church's lawyer Samson Nyaberi.

Nyaberi condemned the raid and said it was a clear violation of the law since a court order was already in place barring the closer of the church.

The raid on the church was conducted by officers from Ruringu police station.

The development comes days after the court lifted the deregistration of Pastor Ezekiel's church by the registrar of societies last month.

Pastor Ezekiel argued that the gazette notice cancelling the church registration was published yet they did not receive any notice of their intentions against the church.

Odero claimed he was not given a chance to present his case in defence of the church. 

Justice Jairus Ngaah in his ruling said: 

"Upon perusal of material placed before the court in support of the application, I am persuaded to exercise my discretion and allow the applicants to challenge the gazette notice dated August 18, 2023, whose purport is to deregister the society referred to as New Life Prayer Center and Church."