The death toll from the “Shakahola massacre”, named for a forest in Kenya where an evangelical sect that advocated extreme fasting to “find Jesus”, rose to 303 after the discovery Tuesday of 19 new bodies. , announced a regional manager.
The self-proclaimed pastor of this sect, Paul Nthenge Mackenzie, has been in prison since April 14 and will be prosecuted for “terrorism” in this case that has shaken this very religious country in East Africa.
Two months after the discovery of the first victims on April 13, the search for mass graves continues in almost 15,000 hectares of forest area located not far from the coastal city of Malindi.
“The death toll has now risen to 303 after the exhumation of the 19 bodies,” Coastal Region Prefect Rhoda Onyancha said on Tuesday.
Police believe most of the bodies exhumed so far are those of followers of the Good News International Church, created by Paul Nthenge Mackenzie, who advocated fasting until death to “meet Jesus.”
Most of the victims died of starvation.
Post-mortems carried out revealed that most of the victims starved to death, presumably after listening to his sermons.
However, some victims, including children, were strangled, beaten or suffocated, according to these autopsies.
At least 35 people suspected of being involved have been arrested, police said.
The forest will soon be transformed into a “place of memory”
This massacre caused quite a stir in Kenya and brought criticism to the authorities for failing to prevent the actions of Pastor Mackenzie, arrested several times for his extreme sermons.
It also reignited the debate on the supervision of worship in this largely Christian country that has 4,000 “churches”, according to official figures.
President William Ruto has established a working group to “review the legal and regulatory framework governing religious organizations.” The Home Secretary announced last week that the Shakahola forest would become a “place of remembrance”.
Source: BFM TV
