According to recent investigations into the starvation cult in Kenya, the initial targets of this cult were children. 22 more bodies were found in the Shakahola forest, situated in the south east region, on 13th May. The investigation has so far discovered 201 bodies.
A day before that, 29 bodies were unearthed, which had bodies of 12 children among them found in a single grave.
22 bodies found, hundreds still missing
Rhodah Onyancha, a regional commissioner, talking to reporters about the recent investigation said, “Our forensic team was able to exhume 22 bodies today but we have not reported any rescue.” She also told journalists that another suspect had been arrested, totalling the number of arrests to 26. Authorities have been looking for any survivors or bodily remains throughout the week in the forest after many reportedly went missing. As per reports, 600 followers of pastor Paul Mackenzie are missing.
According to a preacher Titus Katana, who worked for the cult previously, the children were made to fast first “in the sun so they would die faster.” Next in line in the suicide cult came women and men. He revealed about the cult as he is supporting the police to corroborate the evidences.
Brutality with children
He has also alleged extreme behaviour with children, where they were closed in huts for five days without food or water. He further said, “then they wrapped them in blankets and buried them, even the ones still breathing.” According to him, the followers of the doomsday cult were given false hopes of reaching heaven faster if they starved.
During autopsies of some of the bodies in the Shakahola farm, surrounding the coastal town of Malindi, evidences of beatings, suffocation and starvation were found.
In the cult case, going on for over two months, a court in Kenya refused bail to cult leader of the Good News International Church, Paul Mackenzie for starving to death his followers in order to send them to heaven before the doomsday.
Pastor Mackenzie has been in police custody since his arrest on April 15, and he said that he shut down his Good News International Church four years ago after it ran for more than two decades of its function.
