IBNS: Kenyan Police have exhumed 47 bodies, who are believed to be members of a Christian cult, from Kenya’s coastal town of Malindi, media reports said on Sunday.
According to reports, the police have started investigating the preacher who told followers to starve to death.
The bodies of children were among the dead, reports BBC.
The shallow graves are in Shakahola forest, where 15 members of the Good News International Church were rescued last week, the British media reported.
Church leader Paul Makenzie Nthenge has been taken into custody.
Nthenge, however, has denied all charges leveled again him.
He allegedly told followers to starve themselves in order to “meet Jesus”.
Kenyan interior minister Kithure Kindiki, tweeted: “The unfolding Shakahola Forest Massacre is the clearest abuse of the constitutionally enshrined human right to freedom of worship. Prima facie, large- scale crimes under Kenyan law as well as international law have been committed.”
“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. 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. Enough security officers have been deployed and the entire 800 acre forest is sealed off and declared a scene of crime,” he said.
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