NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 16 – Eight additional bodies were on Thursday exhumed in Kilifi’s Shakahola forest bringing the total number of deaths so far to 326.
Since the commencement of the operation, the government has made 36 arrests and successfully rescued 95 victims associated with the Shakahola Starvation cult led by controversial televangelist Paul Mackenzie of the Good News International Church.
To aid in the identification of victims’ families, the government has collected a total of 93 DNA samples.
Currently, 19 families have been identified, while the number of individuals reported missing by their relatives stands at 613.
The government further revealed plans to open security roads in every 100 acres of the Chakama Ranch as part of a comprehensive effort to aid in the systematic and scientific search and rescue operations of the victims of the Shakahola starvation cult as well as identification of graves.
Two lawyers representing the embattled televangelist Paul Mackenzie who stands accused of running the Shakahola starvation cult have dropped the ongoing case against the preacher.
Lawyer George Kariuki and Elisha Komora who were also representing 28 other suspects ditched Mackenzie on Wednesday citing difficulties accessing him and his associates.
The two also said they are facing threats and are afraid justice might not be served in the case ongoing at Mombasa’s Shanzu Law Courts.
However, the third lawyer, Wycliff Makasembo, affirmed his commitment to continue representing the accused until the case is concluded.
Mackenzie and his associates are facing mass murder charges for the death of over 300 individuals at Shakahola forest in Kilifi County even as government continues to retrieve bodies from mass graves.
On Wednesday, about a dozen associates of Mackenzie collapsed at the Shanzu Law Courts while appearing for a routine mention.
The co-accused persons who are part of twenty-eight individuals charged alongside Mackenzie and his wife Rhoda Maweu were said to have boycotted meals for ten days.
The suspects, accused of enforcing mandatory starvation of followers of the Good News International Church in Kilifi’s Shakahola Forest, were expected to know the fate of their continued detention after the prosecution filed for the continued incarceration for a period of 60 days.
A verdict on the application, initially slated for the week ending June 9, was pushed forward after the prosecution counsel fell ill.
