Why court free Kenyan ‘miracle babies’ pastor wey dem accuse of child trafficking

Dem don free one Kenyan televangelist wey claim say e create miraculous pregnancies.

Dem acquit Gilbert Deya of child-trafficking charges sake of say enough evidence no dey.

Di prosecution fail to prove say Deya steal five pikin 20 years ago, one Kenyan magistrate tok.

Dem bin accuse am say e handle di pikin to women wey dey struggle to get bele.

Dem extradite di pastor from di UK for 2017, afta years of battle to remain for di kontri fail.

Concerns bin first dey about di conduct of Oga Deya, wey run one church for London, for one BBC investigate for 2004.

Dem bin tell women wey dey experience difficulties to get bele wey attend di Gilbert Deya Ministries Church for Peckham, south-east London, say dem fit get “miracle” babies.

But di babies dey always dey “delivered” for backstreet clinics for Kenya capital, Nairobi. Di prosecution tok say di babies na stolen babies from poor Kenyan families.

Oga Deya later move to Scotland, and dem arrest am for Edinburgh for 2006 under one international arrest warrant wey Kenya issue.

For im ruling on Monday, magistrate Robinson Ondieki tok say di prosecution bin “fail to establish circumstantial evidence”.

Wen im dey tok outside di court where im supporters dey hail am, Oga Deya tok say im don forgive pipo wey want make dem jail am.

“Today I don dey acquitted of dis kind burden, one yoke for my shoulder… e don damage my reputation,” e tell reporters, and add say e dey “sad say dem label me as pikin stealer”.

“I dey grateful say I don dey free. Now I go continue to proceed to di mission Jesus give me for earth.”

E hint say e fit return to di UK.

For 2011, Mary Deya, Oga Deya wife before, bin chop jail sentence afta dem find am guilty say she steal one baby from di main referral hospital for Kenya capital Nairobi and lie say she bin give birth to di baby.

Who be Gilbert Deya?

Gilbert Deya na former stonemason wey move to London from Kenya for di mid-90s.

E set up di Gilbert Deya Ministries as registered charity, wit African and Asian branches.

E dey known for im blend of charismatic, performance-style preaching.

UK Labour MP David Lammy describe am as "modern-day snake-oil salesman".

Deya say one US evangelist na im make am Archbishp for 1992.

Im bin deny charges of stealing five pikin dem between 1999 and 2004 wen im appear for court for Nairobi, di Kenyan capital.