Nairobi — The Ministry of Interior and Coordination has sealed the entire Shakahola forest as a crime scene with Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki expected to visit the area on Tuesday.
In a bid to speed up the investigation on the crime scene, the Interior CS further directed the Coast Regional Commissioner Rhoda Onyancha to reinforce the multi-agency team ahead of his visit.
At least 58 graves have been identified on the 800-acre parcel of land that is believed to be owned by the controversial pastor of Good News International Church.
"While the Multi-agency security team on site is doing their best to unearth the truth and prevent further loss of lives, I have directed the Regional Commissioner for Coast Region together with the Regional Security Team to reinforce the team in Malindi ahead of my visit on Tuesday," Kindiki stated.
Eight more bodies have been exhumed from the crime scene with the total bodies rising to 29 so far of people believed to be followers of controversial Malindi preacher Paul Mackenzie Nthenge, buried in shallow graves.
Kindiki emphasized that the unfolding Shakahola Forest Massacre is the clearest abuse of the constitutionally enshrined human right to freedom of worship.
He insisted that tighter regulations on religious institutions must be put in place moving forward to hinder such atrocities that affect innocent Kenyans.
"While the State remains respectful of religious freedom, this horrendous blight on our consience must lead not only to the most severe punishment of the perpetrator(s) of the atrocity on so many innocent souls, but tighter regulation (including self-regulation) of every church, mosque, temple or synagogue going forward,"the Interior Boss stated.
Although his church was shut down in 2019, Mackenzie has continued to attract the masses through his preaching of the 'end times and fasting to go to heaven.'
Police are holding Mackenzie for 14 days to conclude investigations over his 'radical' teachings where he asks his followers to fast for days without water or food until they die of starvation.
He is yet to be charged officially.
On Monday, police got court orders to exhume 14 bodies of people who are believed to have died after starving for days on instructions of Mackenzie.
Since Wednesday, officers drawn from the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) have been mapping the vast Shakahola land for graves.
On Friday afternoon, homicide detectives and government pathologists began the exhumation exercises in an area that had about eight fresh graves.
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By the end of the day, seven bodies; including two children, had been retrieved. They were placed in body bags and transferred to Malindi Hospital for autopsy, according to police.
According to locals, Mackenzie has named the Shakahola villages with names from the Bible. Where he built his house is referred to as 'Galilee'.
They refer to the whole 800-acre parcel of land as the 'Holy Land.' They have villages like Bethany, Galilee, Sidon, and others.
Where the seven bodies were retrieved Friday is known as 'Sidon.'
