Kenyan Cult: 10 More Bodies Exhumed from Pastor Mackenzie's Land, Death Toll Rises to 83

• The Tuesday, 25 April exhumations, which included three children, brought the total number of bodies retrieved from pastor Mackenzie's land to 83
• Inspector General of the police, Japhet Koome, said 29 survivors had been rescued and were receiving treatment
• Mackenzie's followers are believed to have starved themselves to death following his order in the 'false' promise to meet Jesus

Shakahola village, Kilifi- The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) detectives have exhumed 10 more bodies from controversial pastor Paul Mackenzie's land.

The Tuesday, 25 April exhumations, which included three children, brought the total number of bodies retrieved from the vast 800-acre land to 83.

Earlier, the Inspector General of the police, Japhet Koome, said 29 survivors had been rescued and were receiving treatment.

Mackenzie's followers are believed to have starved themselves to death following his order in the 'false' promise to meet Jesus.

Read also

Enyobeni Tavern victims’ justice delayed after trial postponed, loadshedding stops proceedings

Govt swings into action

Following the arrest of Mackenzie, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Noordin Haji said his office would ask for time to conduct investigations with possible charges of terrorism and religious radicalisation.

"The Penal Code is not enough," Haji told journalists at one of the sites of the mass graves in Shakahola forest.

Mackenzie is being investigated for influencing his followers to starve to death. 14 other suspects are in police custody.

President William Ruto asked investigations agencies to take up the matter and get to the root cause of the activities of people who want to use religion to advance weird and unacceptable ideologies in the country.

"What is being witnessed in Shakahola is akin to terrorism. Mackenzie, who acts as a pastor, is in fact, a terrible criminal. Terrorists use religion to advance their heinous acts. People like Mackenzie are using religion to do the exact same thing.

Read also

Herman Mashaba offers R50k reward to find Soweto child killers, SA accuses ActionSA leader of electioneering

People like Paul Mackenzie and any other terrorists do not belong to any religion. They belong in prison,” Ruto said.

Kenya Cult: Shakahola Resident Says Kids Would Frequent Shops with Starvation Complaints

Earlier, Briefly News reported that shallow graves, decomposing bodies and emaciated cult members in critical condition are the makings of any horror movie, only that in Shakahola village, it was a grim reality.

Over the last few days, the nation was shocked by the chilling story of how Paul Mackenzie of Good News International Church allegedly brainwashed his followers to fast to death so that they could meet Jesus Christ.

According to Changawa Mangi, an elder at Shakahola, it all started in 2020 when the besieged pastor approached them for land, saying he wanted to stay farming.

Source: TUKO.co.ke