Thirty-nine bodies have been found 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 more shallow graves had yet to be dug up on the land belonging to pastor Paul Makenzi, who was arrested on April 14th 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 Mr Makenzi for longer as investigations into the deaths of his followers continue.
‘Belarus cannot be left behind’: West urged not to abandon Ukraine’s neighbour ahead of ‘sham’ election
Donald Trump’s stunning first week back in the White House shows he’s on a mission to leave a legacy
CDU leader signals radical shift on migration policy following killing of toddler
Far-right leaders freed by Trump talk of desire for retribution
A tip-off 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 Mr Makenzi’s farm and began digging on Friday.
Mr 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. – AP
