The Ad-hoc Committee investigating the Shakahola massacre has been criticized for visiting Pastor Ezekiel Odero's New Life Church in Kilifi.

The committee, led by Danstan Mungatana, visited Pastor Odero's church over the weekend and gave him the thumbs up.

PHOTO | COURTESY Pastor Ezekiel and his legal team

This comes amid reports that Pastor Odero's church covered the whole cost of the trip. Reports claim the Senators went to Mombasa without a parliamentary secretariat, violating the house's standing regulations.

The committee is divided over the visit, with those Senators who did not go questioning whether it was essential.

Danstan Mungatana, the chair's committee, defended the committee, claiming that they only sought the truth.

PHOTO | COURTESY  Ad-hoc Committee in Kilifi

"We were told that there were graves at the scene, we went and checked, there was none, we were told that there was a mortuary, we checked there was none, that is all we went to do." Mungatana explained.

The question of presenting a clean bill of health is not our concern; we don't even have a committee mandate; all we want is the truth." added Mungatana.

He, however, did not reveal the person who funded the committeeMungatana, on the other hand, remained mum regarding who paid for the committee's travel to Kilifi county.

PHOTO | COURTESY Shakahola Burial ground 

The committee, supposed to present its report on Thursday, did not meet today after Paul Mackenzie failed to turn up. 

Mackenzie's counsel notified the committee in a letter that he needed additional time to appear.

"We thought that Mackenzie would jump at the chance to come and tell his side of the story with the immunity of the house, but has failed to turn, we will write our report with the evidence we have, but he can't claim that we didn't give him a chance." Mungatana explained.