Kenyan police have recovered 73 bodies from mass graves in the Shakahola village in Kilifi County, thought to be followers of a Christian cult who believed they would go to heaven if they starved themselves, the country’s police chief said on Monday.
The death toll, which has been rising steadily over the past two days as exhumations have been carried out, could rise further as the Kenyan Red Cross has said 112 people have been reported missing to a tracing desk it operates.
The cult was called the Good News International Church and its leader, Paul Mackenzie, was arrested following a tip-off that suggested the existence of shallow graves containing the bodies of at least 31 of his followers.
Police near the coastal town of Malindi started exhuming bodies on Friday from the Shakahola forest.
Earlier this month, police rescued 15 members of the group – worshippers at the church – who they said had been told to starve themselves to death. Four of them died before they reached hospital, police said.
Police say that Mackenzie has refused to eat or drink while in police custody.
Mackenzie, who is in police custody, is being investigated for influencing his followers to starve to death in order to meet their maker. Police also suspect that some of the victims did not starve to death and may have been killed and then buried on the property.
Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki said the entire 800 acre forest had been sealed off and declared a scene of crime.
“This horrendous blight on our conscience must lead not only to the most severe punishment of the perpetrator(s) of the atrocity on so many innocent souls, but tighter regulation (including self-regulation) of every church, mosque, temple or synagogue going forward,” he said.
Inspector-General of Police Japhet Koome updated the tally after visiting the scene, adding that a total of 29 people had been rescued and taken to hospital. Mr Koome and Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) boss Mohammed Amin arrived at the village in the afternoon.
Questions have been raised on possible laxity and negligence by administrators and the local security apparatus.
Kenyans have also expressed outrage at how the government has handled the case, with reports that the team deployed to carry out the exhumations and rescue operation complained over a lack of adequate manpower.
