Kilifi religious cult: 3 more bodies exhumed, 26 gravesites discovered in pastor’s land

By , K24 Digital
On Fri, 21 Apr, 2023 17:41 | < 1 min read
Update: Shakahola starvation cult deaths toll hit 73
Homicide detectives during Kilifi rescue operations. PHOTO/Courtesy

Three more bodies were on Friday, April 21, 2023, exhumed from two shallow graves in Kilifi-based Pastor Paul Mackenzie’s Shakahola land.

Two bodies had been buried in one grave while the other was buried on its own.

At least 58 gravesites have so far been identified as operations led by head of the homicide department at the DCI Martin Nyaguto enter day three.

This was after sleuths discovered 26 more gravesites on Friday.

The deceased are said to have succumbed to starvation after fasting as allegedly directed by the controversial pastor of Good News International Church.

On Wednesday, April 19, one person was rescued alive after homicide detectives received a tipoff from a member of the church.

On April 14, police in Malindi rescued 11 members of the Shakahola cult who were on the brink of death.

In a police statement seen by K24 Digital, four others had died before they were rescued at Langobaya village.

Police were acting following a tip-off from a member of the church who claimed that there was a mass grave at Shakahola Forest.

"Today 14th April 2023, a contingent under the command of SCPC and SCCIO Malindi visited the scene for fact-finding.

"The team was able to reach a few households and managed to rescue 15 people among them six were emaciated and in critical condition.

"Medics from Malindi were called in to assist in evacuation but while in the process of rescuing the victims, four of them died and medic from Malindi sub-county hospital declared them posthumous," the statement read in part.

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