The legal manager of Safaricom has received a summons from the court requiring their participation at an upcoming hearing planned for the following Tuesday. Due to Safaricom's unwillingness to give the police access to the M-Pesa accounts connected to Pastor Ezekiel Odero, a summons has been issued.
The court was notified by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Monday that Safaricom had disregarded the court's orders to reveal Pastor Ezekiel's M-Pesa statements and those relevant to his church.
Chief Inspector Martin Munene, representing the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), made a plea to the court for the issuance of the summons, contending that Safaricom's failure to comply amounted to contempt of court.
During the court proceedings, Inspector Munene stated, "Despite being served with the court orders on May 8, 2023, Safaricom, the telecommunications company, has neither adhered to the court's directives nor appeared before this esteemed court to provide an explanation for their non-compliance."
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Additionally, Munene requested an extension of the freezing orders imposed on the seven M-Pesa lines currently under investigation for alleged money laundering. This extension would allow the investigators an additional seven days to conclude their inquiries.
Milimani Magistrate Ben Ekhubi yesterday summoned Safaricom's legal manager after the firm allegedly declined to give the DCI access to 7 M-Pesa lines belonging to Pastor Ezekiel Odero and his church.
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James Gachoka, representing the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), concurred with the DCI's request to summon Safaricom's legal officer to court. Gachoka stressed the importance of Safaricom providing compelling justifications to avoid facing penalties for their contemptuous behaviour towards the court.
Milimani Magistrate Ben Mark Ekhubi, presiding over the proceedings on Monday, May 22, 2023, extended the freezing orders on the M-Pesa lines associated with Pastor Odero and the church until May 30, 2023. Furthermore, the court scheduled a mention of the case for the following Tuesday to assess Safaricom's compliance with the court's directives.
