(Nairobi) The death toll from the “Shakahola massacre”, named after a forest in Kenya where an evangelical sect advocating extreme fasting to “meet Jesus”, rises to 303 after the discovery of 19 new bodies on Tuesday , 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 which has shaken this very religious country in East Africa.
Two months after the discovery of the first victims on April 13, searches for mass graves are still underway in nearly 15,000 hectares of forest area located not far from the coastal town of Malindi.
“The death toll has now risen to 303 after the exhumation of the 19 bodies,” Coast Region Prefect Rhoda Onyancha said on Tuesday.
Police estimate that 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 to death to “meet Jesus”.
Autopsies performed revealed that most of the victims died of starvation, presumably after listening to his sermons.
Some victims, including children, were however strangled, beaten or suffocated, according to these autopsies.
At least 35 people suspected of being involved have been arrested, police said.
This massacre caused a great stir in Kenya and placed the authorities under the fire of criticism for not having prevented the actions of Pastor Mackenzie, yet arrested several times for his extreme sermons.
He also revived the debate on the supervision of worship in this predominantly Christian country which has 4,000 “churches”, according to official figures.
President William Ruto has created a working group to “review the legal and regulatory framework governing religious organizations”.
The Home Secretary announced last week that Shakahola Forest would be turned into a “place of remembrance”.