A pastor in coastal Kenya has been arrested after telling his followers to fast to death and more than 50 bodies have been found there so far. The country’s police chief told Reuters on Monday that authorities had recovered 58 bodies from mass graves.
John Kemboi, the chief of the Malindi sub-county police, said that more shallow graves remain to be uncovered on the land of pastor Paul Makenzi, who was arrested over cultist links on April 14.
Last week, four people died at Good News International Church after they and others were found starving.
In light of ongoing investigations into Makenzi’s followers’ deaths, police have asked a court to keep him in custody longer.
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Police found 15 emaciated people on the pastor’s Malindi property after receiving a tip. Four of these people died as a result of their condition. The followers said they were starving on the pastor’s instructions in order to “meet Jesus.”
Digging began on Friday after it was reported to the police that Makenzi’s land had dozens of shallow graves.
While in police detention, Makenzi had been on a hunger strike for the previous four days. Since then, he has been freed on a bond of 700 dollars ($100,000 Kenyan shillings).
The pastor was detained twice previously for the deaths of children, first in 2019 and once in March of this year. He was freed on bond each time, and the courts are currently hearing both cases.
Because of the growth of cults in the Malindi region, local officials pleaded with the court not to release him this time.
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