Magarini MP Harrison Kombe now claims that controversial preacher Paul Mackenzie was forced to close his church after burying his two wives under the altar.
In an interview with Citizen TV, Kombe says that the act irked church members and the general public, forcing him to close the church.
"Pastor Mackenzie started his ministry in Malindi, Furunzi area. Time went by and he lost his wife and buried her in the church, he lost another one and buried her in the church, he buried them at the altar," Kombe said.
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After closing the church, Kombe says that Mackenzie gave an excuse that he was going to start farming and retreated to Shakahola,
"Eventually we had wrangles and that is why the church was shut down. When it was closed that is when he said he is going to do some farming. This was about three years ago," Kombe added.
The legislator says he met an ardent follower of the preacher who had managed to escape from Mackenzie's flock. According to Kombe, the man told him that he had witnessed over 50 people die and get buried in Shakahola.
"He told me that people are suffering there and dying. He told me that 'since I went there I have witnessed over 50 people being buried'" he said.
"I did due diligence and took him to Malindi's DCI offices and to our surprise the Deputy Officer started praising Mackenzie saying Mackenzie is a good man, we arrested him and he was released with a bail of Ksh.10,000."
As of Wednesday evening, the number of exhumed bodies in Shakahola hit 98, following the exhumation of the bodies of eight children.
A majority of those confirmed dead include children, even as the police intensify investigations into Paul Mackenzie's cult-like religion, which encouraged its followers to starve to death "to meet Jesus".
According to reports, at least 300 reported to be missing as a result of the preacher's activities are yet to be found, or their bodies found.
Mackenzie arrested
Mackenzie, the head of the Good News International Church, surrendered to police in March and was charged after two kids died of starvation while in their parents' care.
He was released on a Ksh100,000 cash bail but was later re-arrested on April 15, 2023, after more bodies were found in relation to the same.
