Court allows preacher Deya access to travel records

Preacher Gilbert Deya at a Nairobi court on August 17, 2017 during the mention of a case in which he is facing child theft charges. He was allowed access to his travel records. PHOTO | PAUL WAWERU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Mr Deya is remanded at Kamiti Maximum Prison awaiting trial from October 9.

A court has allowed controversial preacher Gilbert Juma Deya to be issued with an itinerary of his travel records from 18 years ago.

Mr Deya is facing child theft charges and on Thursday, chief magistrate Francis Andayi directed that he be given records of his travel from May 1, 1999 to the date he was extradited from the UK to Kenya.

“The accused person should be provided with the requested information from the Immigration department and that has to be done in 14 days,” he said.

KAMITI PRISON
To get the requested travel information, Mr Deya’s lawyer John Sakwa has to first write to the Immigration department in order for his request to be granted.

The preacher denied stealing five children aged below 14 years, including three girls, crimes he allegedly committed between May 12, 1999, and August 19, 2004, in Mountain View estate, Nairobi.

Mr Deya is remanded at Kamiti Maximum Prison awaiting trial from October 9.

JAIL TERM

The five children stolen by the preacher were below 14 years old and comprised three girls, two boys.

The televangelist is accused of depriving unknown parents’ lawful custody of the children because he possessed them and harboured them unlawfully.

His wife, Mary, was arrested and charged in 2008 with 10 counts of similar offences before being handed a three year jail term.

JUSTICE
She was granted a cash bail of Sh300,000 pending her trial but was later on acquitted.

Whilst prosecution is accusing Mr Deya of evading justice for the last 12 years, the defence has insisted that he was merely defending himself so as to protect his known reputation as a spiritual father.

He remains remanded at the Kamiti Maximum Prison pending his trial, which is set to kick off on October 9 since he was denied bond.