The life of Gilbert Deya, the controversial Kenyan televangelist who captivated and scandalized audiences with claims of "miracle pregnancies," has come to a sudden and dramatic end. Police and local media reported that Deya died on the spot on Tuesday evening, June 17, 2025, after his vehicle was involved in a multi-car collision near Kisumu town in western Kenya. The crash, which also involved a university bus and another vehicle, reportedly left at least 30 other people injured, including a person identified as his wife, a passenger in his vehicle, and 15 students on the bus. Siaya County Governor James Orengo confirmed the "horrific" road accident, noting that one of the vehicles involved belonged to the county.

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Deya's demise draws a definitive close to a life marked by extraordinary claims, international legal battles, and fervent public debate. His story is a poignant reminder of the complex intersections of faith, belief, and the law, particularly in a nation where religious practices often hold immense sway.

Born in Kenya, Gilbert Deya, a former stonemason, moved to London in the mid-1990s, where he established Gilbert Deya Ministries. His fame, or infamy, truly began to soar in the early 2000s, propelled by his astounding claim that he possessed the divine power to help infertile and even post-menopausal women conceive "miracle" babies through prayer alone, and without the need for intercourse. This extraordinary assertion drew in followers from various parts of the world, desperate for a child.

However, the miraculous claims soon attracted the unwelcome attention of authorities. Investigations by British and Kenyan police began to link his London-based church to an alleged sophisticated child-trafficking ring. Prosecutors contended that the "miracle babies" were, in fact, stolen children, primarily from Nairobi's impoverished neighborhoods, transported to the UK to buttress Deya's claims. This led to a decade-long legal battle in the UK, culminating in his extradition to Kenya in 2017 to face charges related to child theft.

Deya's legal journey in Kenya was protracted and highly publicized. He was accused of stealing five children between 1999 and 2004. After years of court proceedings, a Senior Principal Magistrate Robison Ondieki ultimately found the 86-year-old not guilty, ruling in 2023 that the prosecution had not produced sufficient evidence to conclusively link Deya to the charges.

Outside the court, visibly relieved, Deya told reporters, "I have been acquitted of this burden, a yoke on my shoulder." He lamented how the accusations had "damaged my reputation," despite his acquittal. His lawyer, John Swaka, vehemently maintained that "the charges were trumped up and could not stand in a court of law," emphasizing Deya's happiness and his stated desire to return to "serving the Lord."

The "miracle babies" controversy first gained international prominence in a 2004 British coroner's case. A British coroner was forced to formally examine whether a miracle had occurred after a baby named Sarah died, and DNA tests proved she was not biologically related to her supposed parents, who had claimed to have given birth in Nairobi after being told they were infertile. This was a unprecedented event, marking the first time in eight centuries that an English coroner had to officially weigh in on a purported miracle. Adding another layer to the family's legal woes, Deya's now ex-wife, Mary, abandoned her appeal against a four-year jail sentence related to the case in 2015, opting to serve her prison term.

Deya, who claimed to have been ordained as an archbishop by the United Evangelical Churches of America in 1992, had been a popular televangelist in Kenya before his move to Britain. His death comes at a time when Kenya, a predominantly Christian nation home to an estimated 4,000 churches—many run by self-styled pastors lacking formal theological education—is grappling with intense scrutiny over religious regulation.

The recent discovery of nearly 400 bodies linked to a starvation cult in the Shakahola forest, led by self-proclaimed pastor Paul Nthenge Mackenzie, has amplified calls for stricter oversight of religious organizations in the East African nation. Deya's controversial career, marked by claims that pushed the boundaries of belief and legality, only adds to the complex tapestry of challenges facing religious governance in Kenya. His death, a tragic road accident, closes the chapter on a life that will undoubtedly continue to be debated in the annals of Kenya's religious and legal history.