KENYA: Kenyan police have excavated 21 remains in the vicinity of the coastal town of Malindi as they investigate a preacher who allegedly instructed followers to starve to death.
Exhumations included dead toddlers, and authorities claimed they anticipated finding such bodies. Last week, in Shakahola Forest in Kilifi Country, police officials rescued 15 members of the Good News International Church.
Paul Mackenzie Nthenge, a preacher, is being held in jail until a court appearance. Following a tip-off indicating the possibility of shallow graves housing at least 31 of the church’s members, the church’s leader, Paul Mackenzie, was detained.
A state-run media outlet referred to him as a “cult leader” and stated that 58 graves have so far been found. The bodies of five people from the same family—three children, their parents, and two other people—are thought to be in one of the graves.
Police started exhuming remains on Friday, stated Charles Kamau, a detective in the nearby town of Malindi, without providing any further details.
Mackenzie has denied any wrongdoing, but his bail has been denied. He is adamant about closing his church in 2019. He allegedly advised followers to starve themselves in order to “meet Jesus.”
In order to determine whether the victims’ deaths were caused by malnutrition, pathologists will collect DNA samples and do tests, according to the Kenyan newspaper The Standard.
After finding the bodies of four people who were possibly starving to death, police detained Mackenzie on April 15.
Malindi Social Justice Centre’s Victor Kaudo said that “when we are in this forest and come to an area where we see a big and tall cross, we know that means more than five people are buried there.”
The preacher reportedly referred to three towns as Nazareth, Bethlehem, and Judea and baptised followers in ponds before instructing them to fast.
In the past, people have been persuaded to join hazardous, unmonitored churches or cults in the devout nation of Kenya.
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