Preacher Gilbert Deya Dies in Kisumu Road Crash

Gilbert Deya, the self-proclaimed bishop whose "miracle babies" claims ignited both fervent belief and widespread condemnation, died on Tuesday in a road accident along the Bondo-Kisian road in western Kenya. 

The multi-vehicle collision, which also involved a school bus and a Toyota Fortuner, resulted in injuries to 30 others. According to local authorities, Deya was driving a Toyota Noah when he reportedly lost control of the vehicle near Namba-Kapiyo. The vehicle collided with a bus transporting Moi University students, prompting the bus driver to swerve in an attempt to avoid a more severe impact. The bus subsequently overturned and collided with a Toyota Fortuner owned by the Siaya County Government. Deya was pronounced dead at the scene.

His two passengers, believed to include his wife, sustained minor injuries. Fifteen students suffered serious injuries and were promptly transported to local hospitals, with some later transferred to referral facilities for advanced medical care. Another fifteen students sustained minor injuries. The immediate cause of the accident is currently under investigation.

Deya's death brings renewed scrutiny to his controversial past, during which his Nairobi-based Gilbert Deya Ministries achieved international prominence in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The ministry promised divine conception to infertile women through prayer. This appeal expanded into the United Kingdom, attracting large congregations and substantial donations. 

However, this period of growth was overshadowed by allegations of child trafficking disguised as spiritual intervention. Investigations into Deya's practices began following inconsistencies regarding the purported "miracle" births. DNA tests revealed that none of the children presented by Deya and his wife were biologically related to them. A former associate further alleged that the miraculous births were part of an elaborate deception. Accusations surfaced implicating Deya's network in the theft of babies from Kenyan hospitals, which were then presented to hopeful couples as divinely granted gifts.

British authorities launched investigations into Deya's organisation in 2004 and again in 2016, citing governance concerns and potential risks to the public. By 2021, the UK's Charity Commission had placed the ministry under external management. While Deya was arrested in London in 2013 on unrelated sexual offence charges, which were subsequently dropped, his primary legal challenge involved Kenya's request for his extradition on child trafficking charges.

After protracted legal proceedings, Deya was deported to Nairobi in 2017 and faced trial on multiple charges related to baby theft. Throughout, he maintained his innocence. In 2023, after delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Deya testified in his own defence. In June of that year, the court acquitted him, citing insufficient evidence and a lack of a credible case by the prosecution. Though he initially expressed plans to return to the UK, Deya largely remained out of the public eye in his final years.