Shakahola death toll crosses 300 mark as 19 more bodies recovered
Interior CS Kithure Kindiki (in a reflector jacket) during the commissioning of inroads in Shakahola Forest with the help of Kenya Defense Force personnel on June 6, 2023 for ease of search and rescue in this file photo. With him is Coast regional Commissioner Rhoda Onyancha (right) and other officers.
19 more bodies were exhumed from Shakahola Forest land linked to Paul Mackenzie on Tuesday bringing the death toll to 303.
Coast Regional Commissioner Rhoda Onyancha says the number of those reported missing is at 613 while total rescues stand at 95.
The number has steadily been rising since April 21 when exhumation of the bodies believed to be of followers of cult leader Paul Mackenzie’s Good News International Church.
The exhumation exercise is currently in the third phase and has seenhundreds of bodies exhumed by DCI Homicide detectives, pathologists and officers from the Government Chemist from the expansive Shakahola Forest in Kilifi County.
Ms Onyancha noted that there have been no arrests nor rescues made in the last one week.
This comes as the State intends to press criminal charges on more than 30 people including the suspected leader Paul Mackenzie over the deaths.
Another 65 people who had been rescued from the forest where the exhumation exercise is ongoing could also be charged with attempting to kill themselves by resuming starvation at various rescue centres.
On Monday, the Shanzu Law Courts heard that the 65 who were being held at various rescue centres in Kilifi County had absconded their meals.
Police investigating the case have asked through the court to allow the suspects be transferred from the Rescue centres to police cells pending investigations.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki, who recently visited the region to oversee the resumption of exhumations, described the Shakahola deaths as a highly organised crime.
“I am afraid we have a lot of graves,” Prof Kindiki said. “The damage is quite extensive. The process is far from over.”
The CS also revealed that detectives were zeroing in on Mackenzie’s co-conspirators.
Police believe most of the bodies belong to followers of Mackenzie, who is accused of ordering them to starve themselves “to meet Jesus”.
While starvation appears to be the main cause of death, some of the victims, including children, were strangled, beaten or suffocated, according to government pathologist Johansen Oduor.
