39 bodies dug up in cult investigation of pastor in Kenya

[bnew]

39 bodies dug up in cult investigation of pastor in Kenya

Police say 39 bodies have been discovered so far on land owned by a pastor in coastal Kenya who was arrested for telling his followers to fast to death. A police official say that more shallow graves were dug up on Sunday and 18 more bodies were found. The dead are believed to be followers of...

apnews.com

today


NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Thirty-nine bodies have been found so far on land owned by a pastor in coastal Kenya who was arrested for telling 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 Makenzi, who was arrested on April 14 over links to cultism.

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

Police have asked a court to allow them to hold Makenzi longer as investigations 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’s instructions in order to meet Jesus.

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

Makenzi has been on hunger strike for the past four days while in police custody.

The pastor has been arrested twice before, in 2019 and in March of this year, 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 time, decrying the spread of cults in the Malindi area.

Cults are common in Kenya, which has a largely religious society.

 

[bnew]

 

[UWasntThere]

Isn’t suicide a sin?

 

[CopiousX]

Isn’t suicide a sin?

People commit sins in the name of god everyday, B.

 

[bnew]

Kenya doomsday cult death toll climbs to 201, regional official says

Searchers for survivors and victims of a doomsday cult in Kenya's Shakahola forest discovered 22 more bodies on Saturday, according to a regional governmental official.

www.reuters.com

1 minute readMay 13, 202311:34 AM EDTLast Updated 19 hours ago

Kenya doomsday cult death toll climbs to 201 - official​

Forensic experts and homicide detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), sort exhumed bodies of suspected followers of a Christian cult named Good News International Church, who believed that they would go to heaven if they starved themselves to death, in Shakahola forest of Kilifi county, Kenya May 11, 2023. REUTERS/Stringer


SHAKAHOLA FOREST, Kenya, May 13 (Reuters) - Searchers for survivors and victims of a doomsday cult in Kenya's Shakahola forest discovered 22 more bodies on Saturday, according to a regional governmental official.

The discoveries bring the death toll of one of the country's worst tragedies to 201.

"Our forensic team was able to exhume 22 bodies today but we have not reported any rescue," Rhodah Onyancha, a regional commissioner, told journalists in the Shakahola forest in the country's southwest where the search is continuing.


She said one more suspect had also been arrested, bringing the total number of those detained over the deaths to 26.

Throughout this week authorities have been digging up shallow graves scattered through the forest looking for remains and scouring the area for any survivors as hundreds of people are still reported missing.

On Friday, 29 bodies were unearthed, including those of 12 children which were found in one grave.


On Wednesday, a Kenyan court denied bail to Paul Mackenzie, leader of the Good News International Church, who has been accused of ordering his followers to starve their children and themselves to death so they could go to heaven before the end of the world.

Reporting by Joseph Akwiri Writing by Elias Biryabarema Editing by Mark Potter

 

[Kasgoinjail]

Madness, let him starve himself

 

[Gloxina]

Kenya doomsday cult death toll climbs to 201, regional official says

Searchers for survivors and victims of a doomsday cult in Kenya's Shakahola forest discovered 22 more bodies on Saturday, according to a regional governmental official.

www.reuters.com

1 minute readMay 13, 202311:34 AM EDTLast Updated 19 hours ago

Kenya doomsday cult death toll climbs to 201 - official​

Forensic experts and homicide detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), sort exhumed bodies of suspected followers of a Christian cult named Good News International Church, who believed that they would go to heaven if they starved themselves to death, in Shakahola forest of Kilifi county, Kenya May 11, 2023. REUTERS/Stringer


SHAKAHOLA FOREST, Kenya, May 13 (Reuters) - Searchers for survivors and victims of a doomsday cult in Kenya's Shakahola forest discovered 22 more bodies on Saturday, according to a regional governmental official.

The discoveries bring the death toll of one of the country's worst tragedies to 201.

"Our forensic team was able to exhume 22 bodies today but we have not reported any rescue," Rhodah Onyancha, a regional commissioner, told journalists in the Shakahola forest in the country's southwest where the search is continuing.


She said one more suspect had also been arrested, bringing the total number of those detained over the deaths to 26.

Throughout this week authorities have been digging up shallow graves scattered through the forest looking for remains and scouring the area for any survivors as hundreds of people are still reported missing.

On Friday, 29 bodies were unearthed, including those of 12 children which were found in one grave.


On Wednesday, a Kenyan court denied bail to Paul Mackenzie, leader of the Good News International Church, who has been accused of ordering his followers to starve their children and themselves to death so they could go to heaven before the end of the world.

Reporting by Joseph Akwiri Writing by Elias Biryabarema Editing by Mark Potter

This is the shyt that burns me up. Smh

 

[Blackrogue]

Madness, let him starve himself

he's complaining in jail saying they are not being given food

This whole thing might be an organ harvesting scheme, at least thats what they saying for now

 

[CopiousX]

he's complaining in jail saying they are not being given food

This whole thing might be an organ harvesting scheme, at least thats what they saying for now

The trial seems like a waste of resources at this point. They should just lock the door to his cell and leave him alone . No food , water , or anything. He’s on par with Jim Jones at the 200 people mark.

 

[Gloxina]

he's complaining in jail saying they are not being given food

This whole thing might be an organ harvesting scheme, at least thats what they saying for now

Evil ppl everywhere Smdh

 

[Blackrogue]

Pastors unfortunately are scammers, this dude got like 15 bank accounts, a huge ass mansion. They are cracking down on a bunch of them, this shyt happened in a really remote area, some random forest where the closest town in far and is small. So a lot of the people there were probably uneducated and ignorant unfortunately. They've closed the area and are tight lipped about whats going down, and its a huge tract, like 800 acres, so they are doing exhumations. FWIW some of the people were probably ill to begin with and thought they'd get some miracle of faith. So a lot of them have stockholm syndrome and are rooting for the pastor to get released.

 

[Kasgoinjail]

Watching Ruthless rn and I can see how these scanners really do prey on the weak and easily manipulated minds

 

[Gloxina]

Watching Ruthless rn and I can see how these scanners really do prey on the weak and easily manipulated minds

Most important thing you can teach a child is critical thinking skills

 

[Kasgoinjail]

Most important thing you can teach a child is critical thinking skills

Yes! And discernment

To many people follow without questioning. Sad thing is by time most of them realise what they have signed up for its pretty challenging to escape

 

[Dad]

400 now 400 now