US News

Kenya pastor arrested after 39 bodies dug up in cult investigation

By
Associated Press
Published April 24, 2023, 1:11 a.m. ET

NAIROBI, Kenya — Thirty-nine bodies have been found so far on land owned by a pastor in coastal Kenya who was🃏 arrested for tellingꦕ his followers to fast to death.

Malindi sub-county police chief John Kemboi said that more shallow graves have yet to be dug up on the land belonging to pastor Paul M𒉰akenzi, who was arrested on April 14 over links to cul𝓰tism.

The total death toll is 43, because a further four people died after they and others were discovered starving at th🌠e Good News International Church last week.

Police have aꩵsked a court to allow them to hold Makenzi longer as investigation﷽s into the deaths of his followers continue.

A tipoff from members of the public led police to raid the pastor’s property in Malindi, where they found 15 ⛄emaciated people, including the four who later died.

The followers said they were starving on the pastor’ꦉs instruct🍎ions in order to meet Jesus.

Police had been told there were dozen🌠s of shallow graves spread across Makenzi’s farm and digging started on Friday.

Makenzi has been on hunge🎃r strike for the past four days while in police custody.

Police and local residents load the exhumed bodies of victims of a religious cult into the back of a truck in the village of Shakahola, near the coastal city of Malindi, in Kenya on April 23, 2023.
Police and local residents load the exhumed bodies of victims of a religious cult into the back of a truck in the village of Shakahola, near the coastal city of Malindi, in Kenya on April 23, 2023. AP
The total death toll is 43, as four more people died after when they and others were discovered starving at the Good News International Church last week.
The total death toll is 43, as four more people died after when they and others were discovered starving at the Good News International Church last week. AP
A tipoff from members of the public led police to raid the pastor’s property in Malindi, Kenya.
A tipoff from members of the public led police to raid the pastor’s property in Malindi, Kenya. AP
Kenya Red Cross are seen loading more bodies of victims into the back of a truck in the village of Shakahola, near the coastal city of Malindi, in Kenya on April 23, 2023.
Kenya Red Cross are seen loading more bodies of victims into the back of a truck in the village of Shakahola, near the coastal city of Malindi, in Kenya on April 23, 2023. AP

The pastor has been arrested twice before, in 2019 and in March of th𒉰is yea🍸r, in relation to the deaths of children. Each time, he was released on bond, and both cases are still proceeding through the court.

🐽Local politicians have urged the court not to release him this tiꦏme, decrying the spread of cults in the Malindi area.

Cults are common in Kenya, which has a largely religious soc🅘ietওy.