Police seize babies from 'miracle' evangelist

Police investigating a self-styled miracle-working evangelist have seized 11 babies from his home in Kenya for DNA testing.

Gilbert Deya, who is based in the UK and claims to be able to make infertile women conceive, is under investigation by police who are making inquiries into a suspected child-smuggling ring. Women, some past their menopause, are apparently prayed over and conceive, after which they go to Kenya for the "birth", returning to London with their babies, police said.

Mr Deya's wife, Mary, was taken into custody yesterday after the 11 children, aged between five months and 11 years, were discovered at their house in Nairobi. Police said they would be held until DNA tests established their parentage.

Gideon Kibunja, a Criminal Investigations Department spokesman, said: "We believe in God, but we do not think God works that way. These are not miracle babies, they belong somewhere. We are interviewing the people found with the children ... We suspect it is a child-smuggling ring."