All of the things that happened to Jesus are happening to me … except I can’t walk on waterPreacher Preacher Deya insists divineeya insists divine bore ‘trafficked’ tots intervention bore ‘trafficked’ tots.
THE fugitive minister accused of trafficking in ‘miracle babies’ yesterday claimed he was living the life of Jesus. Archbishop Gilbert Deya, 52, claims his prayers have given infertile women dozens of babies without them having had sex.
He is in Scotland fighting extradition moves by police in Kenya who believe he stole the children from poor women across Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda and Kenya and sold them to British couples for £5000 each.
At a Press conference in Glasgow yesterday, Deya insisted: ‘Everything that happened to Jesus in the Bible is happening to me. Except one thing, because I can’t walk on water like Jesus.
‘It would be impossible to bring stolen babies into this country without a visa. It would be easier to go to Heaven.
‘People want miracles. Jesus drew people with miracles, signs and wonders.
‘He fed 5000 people with two fish and five loaves. How can you explain that?
‘You are doubting Thomases because it is difficult to understand.’
The Charity Commission have already frozen the bank accounts of, and launched a formal investigation into, the Gilbert Deya Ministries.
Deya has churches in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Nottingham and claims to have 30,000 UK supporters.
He denies being a millionaire, insisting his properties all belonged to the church.
But his website encourages followers to donate between £10 and £1000 to miracle babies who are also available for adopting.
He says two UK women have already given birth – and that one had three children in less th an a year.
However, British authorities took one of the babies into care after tests revealed its DNA did not match either of its ‘parents’.
Deya claims to be in Scotland after choosing Glasgow-based human rights lawyer Aamer Anwar to represent him in his bid to fight extradition.
The preacher is on Interpol’s most-wanted list and his wife Mary has already appeared in court in Kenya charged with the theft of two babies.
Deya could be picked up here as soon as the attorney general in his country issues an international arrest warrant.
However, he could use the British law to delay returning for at least four months. He may also apply for political asylum.
Yesterday, Deya said he could be killed if he returns to Kenya to face the charges.
He insisted: ‘I am not now nor have ever been a child trafficker.Where is the expert or the evidence?
‘I will not receive a fair trial if I am sent back to Kenya. They have killed many people.
‘The Kenyan authorities are after me because I was friendly with the former regime and they think I am a rich man.
‘My 78-year-old mum has disappeared – suspected of being killed – and the policeman who was investigating these claims and found nothing was shot dead.
‘I am innocent. How can I go to the maternity hospital with my wife and steal a baby? These are all lies.
‘The children are on my website. I would be crazy to steal them and then advertise it.’
‘I facilitate miracle babies through the power of Jesus Christ, the son of God.
‘I do not know how – it is a miracle. He acts through me. I have midwives examine these women and they are pregnant.
‘DNA does not prove anything because it is Jesus Christ who has created these babies, not science.’
‘Unless you come and see miracles performed you won’t believe them.’
Mary Deya and four other women claim to have given birth through the power of prayer.
But DNA tests showed the children and their ‘mothers’ could not be related.
Kenyan police say they have taken 21 children into custody in connection with the Deya case and 12 couples have come forward claiming they are the babies’ real parents.
Police fear the newborns were snatched from Punwani Maternity Hospital in Nairobi, where dozens of newborns have disappeared.
The nearby clinic where the miracle babies arrived has also been closed down.
At yesterday’s Press conference Deya said his miracles could not be explained by science.
He also claims to be able to cure illnesses ranging from skin conditions to cancer and AIDS.
He said: ‘Miracles can not be comprehended by science or technology.
‘We cannot blame God for not allowing the DNA to match. Then it would not be a miracle.
‘I know of four women who are pregnant but the scans are negative.
‘I am not a child trafficker. I just prayed for them to have babies and it happened. My wife and I are innocent.’
A band of supporters also supported his claims.
He put forward one woman, Dr Diana Naitza, to explain why his ‘miracles’ could not be disproved by DNA or science.
Dr Naitza, who claimed she had trained as a vet in Uganda, said: ‘I am a PhD student studying science and have intellect.
‘In some cases there are no men in the process, no sperm fertilised the egg, so there’s no DNA.
‘These pregnancies don’t show up on scans but they are just machines.
‘You can’t explain things of God, however brainy you are, with machines.
‘We saw it with our own eyes. The miracles God did yesterday he can still do today.’
Doris Smith, of London, who claimed to have been a midwife for 40 years, insisted Deya also cured her son of head injuries in 1994.
She said: ‘He had severe head injuries and was in intensive care and I was told he would never speak and would be a cabbage.
‘Mr Deya prayed for my son and he stood up for the first time.
‘These women are pregnant even though the scans don’t say so. They are miracles.’
When asked what his biggest miracle was, Deya said: ‘I don’t perform miracles, Jesus performs them and I’m ministering to people in Jesus name.
‘There is no big or small miracle. I’ve ministered to people who were supposed to die in 10 days.
‘I went to hospital and saw a man like a skeleton who had not eaten or walked for eight years.
‘The man jumped up and walked in the name of Jesus Christ.
‘It’s not just miracle babies.’ Deya claims to have found his special powers in 1967 as a 15-year-old.
He said: ‘I saw a light shining on the floor and I saw Jesus himself giving me a stick to lead his flock.
‘From then on I was being led by God.’
Yesterday,Deya insisted the British miracle mums all travelled to Nairobi to give birth after their own GPs refused to believe they were pregnant.
He said: ‘I never took women to the backstreets of Nairobi.
‘They went to Kenya after their GP disgusted them by not believing them.
‘I want the world to know the miracle babies are babies.’
Lawyer Anwar, of Beltrami Berlow Solicitors, said: ‘Mr Deya claims he will not receive a fair trial if he returns to Kenya.
‘It is not our job to defend or deny the allegations.
‘We are representing him in any extradition matters.
‘Mr Deya is not charged with child trafficking but failing to appear to answer the allegation of child theft.’
Deya insisted he would be cleared of all charges, saying: ‘God has used me and God cannot use a criminal.’