Exhumers during exhumation of bodies from victims of pastor Paul Mackenzie's teachings. Photo: CNN.
A Court in Malindi has given the Directorate of Criminal investigations (DCI), a go ahead to exhume bodies alleged to have been buried in shallow graves in Binzaro area, Kilifi.
DCI had requested the Court for exhmantion of the bodies to establish the cause of death for the deceased.
The Court’s approval comes after a significant number of people were killed by starvation, with the officers linking the deaths to radicalization or a possible cult-like activity.
The reports show a similar trend of the victims of Shakahola cult, which was discovered in March 2023, among the followers of controversial pastor Paul Mackenzie teachings, where his followers were made to starve to death in order to “meet Jesus”.
According to a report by Citizen Digital, the affidavit by the DCI mentioned that preliminary reports indicated that adoption and promotion of religious ideologies are what might have initiated the suffocation and starvation.
“Our preliminary inquiries have so far established the existence of several suspected shallow graves where bodies were concealed,” read part of the affidavit by a DCI investigator.
Additionally, the affidavit shows a suspicious foul play among recovered rescued survivors, who are unable to account for whereabouts of their several children.
Resident Magistrate Irene Thamara gave the directive specifically to government pathologists to carry out the process, and enable post-mortem examinations, toxicologic analysis and DNA tests to determine the cause of deaths.
Thamara further directed that the Officer Commanding Station (OCS) of Malindi Police Station and Lango Baya Police Station to ensure adequate security is provided during the exhumation process.
She further directed the sub-county’s health officer to oversee health and safety measures during the exhumation and ensure the bodies are preserved and stored at the Malindi Sub-County Hospital for forensic analysis.
The resurgence comes after two witnesses testified in the ongoing manslaughter case against controversial Mackenzie and 94 co-accused.
The first witness, a 16-year-old identified in court only as SBB for protection, described before Chief Magistrate Alex Ithuku how his life was turned upside down after his mother withdrew him from school after receiving teachings against education.
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