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UK-based televangelist Gilbert Deya extradited to Kenya

Friday August 04 2017
By Stella Cherono

Controversial preacher Gilbert Deya has been extradited to Kenya from Britain to face child trafficking charges.

The Kenyan pastor, famously known for the 'miracle babies' saga arrived at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport at 4.40am Friday aboard a Kenya Airways flight from London.

His extradition comes after he failed in his 10-year-long legal battle to remain in Britain, and three weeks after a UK-based judge said it was 'scandalous' that he was yet to be deported.

Zipporah Waweru, the airport police chief, validated the preacher's arrival saying: "This matter is being handled by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations but all I can confirm is that he arrived at that time".

Mr Deya was accompanied by three Kenyan police officers who had travelled to the UK to help in his extradition, the Nation learnt.

UK police officers also accompanied them.

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Mr Deya was taken to the DCI headquarters where he is expected to be questioned.

'Miracle babies'

The self-proclaimed bishop of a church in Peckham in South London is accused of stealing babies and lying to infertile couples that he could give them 'miracle babies'.

He is alleged to have stolen five babies in Kenya between 1999 and 2004.

His church in London is estimated to have 34,000 followers.

Kenya prisons

His extradition was first ordered by then-Home Secretary Jacqui Smith in 2007 but the preacher opposed it claiming that the jails in Kenya are cruel and inhuman.

Following his claims, then-Home Secretary Theresa May, who is the current British Prime Minister, sent a judge, Lord David Ramsbotham, to Nairobi’s Kamiti Maximum Security Prison to check on the conditions.

The judge ruled that Mr Deya’s fears were unfounded.

In March 2017, a UK court also accused Mr Deya of providing fake documents.

Mary Deya

Mr Deya’s wife, Mary, is also serving a jail sentence at the Lang’ata Women Prison in Nairobi.

She was in January sentenced to three years for the theft of a child in September 2005.

She was also found guilty on two counts of providing false information.

She had earlier served and completed two jail terms.

READ: Miracle Babies: Is the Bible God's Revealed Word?

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