BONDO, Kenya — Bishop Gilbert Deya, a figure widely known for his controversial “miracle mabies” claims, has tragically died in a road accident along the Bondo-Kisian road.
The multi-vehicle collision, which occurred at the Namba-Kapiyo area, also left 30 other individuals injured.
The accident involved three vehicles: a school bus belonging to Moi University, a Toyota Fortuner operated by the County Government of Siaya, and a Toyota Noah.
According to Nyanza Traffic Boss Peter Maina, the incident unfolded when the driver of the Toyota Noah, traveling from Kisian towards Bondo, lost control. The vehicle then rammed into the school bus, which was en route to Kisumu. In an attempt to avert a head-on collision, the school bus driver swerved, causing the bus to roll off the road. A third vehicle, the County Government’s Toyota Fortuner, which had been trailing the bus, was subsequently struck during the unfolding chaos.
Traffic Boss Maina confirmed the identity of the deceased: “The deceased, Bishop Gilbert Deya, was driving the Toyota Noah and had two female passengers, believed to be his wife and another woman, who sustained minor injuries.”
Maina further detailed the casualties from the crash: “In total, we have 31 people were affected, one fatality, 15 students with serious injuries, and 15 with minor injuries.”
Following the accident, Bishop Deya’s body was transported to the Kombewa Sub-County Hospital morgue. The injured were also rushed to the same facility for immediate treatment, with three of the victims requiring further medical attention and subsequently referred to Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital.
Authorities have since launched an investigation to ascertain the exact cause of the accident.
Deya rose to national and international prominence in the late 1990s and early 2000s through his audacious claims of “miracle babies.” He led the Gilbert Deya Ministries, a church that propagated the belief that infertile women could conceive through prayer and divine intervention.
At the height of its fame, his UK-based ministry faced severe legal challenges after investigations linked him to an alleged child trafficking ring.
Deya was accused of stealing children from hospitals and vulnerable families in Kenya and then presenting them to desperate couples as divinely given infants.
After a lengthy legal battle, Deya was extradited from the United Kingdom to Kenya in 2017, where he was formally charged with multiple counts related to child theft.
Though he consistently denied all charges, the cases generated significant legal and ethical controversy, raising profound questions about religious exploitation and accountability within spiritual institutions.
At the time of his death, Deya had largely receded from the intense public spotlight but remained a deeply polarizing figure within both religious and legal circles. His body was taken to a local mortuary as the accident scene was cleared by authorities.
