MOMBASA, Kenya, Mar 26 – The government has started releasing the bodies of the Shakahola Forest cult victims to their families for burial.
Seven bodies out of the 429 exhumed were set to be released to different families Tuesday.
Four bodies have been handed over one family in Malindi, two bodies to another and one body to one Western Kenya family.
34 bodies have so far been identified in the incident and they will be released in phases.
According to government pathologist Johansen Oduor, 35 mass graves were identified during the exhumation exercise where 429 bodies were retrieved.
The Shakahola religious cult was put under a tight national microscope in April 2023 when two children died under their parent’s care after Pastor Paul Mackenzie instructed members of his church to starve themselves to “meet Jesus”.
Mackenzie was arrested in April 15, 2023 and has since been under police custody.
