The death toll linked to a Kenyan cult, led by Pastor Paul Nthenge Mackenzie, has now risen to 403 after the discovery of 12 additional bodies on Monday, as confirmed by a senior official.
The latest round of exhumations in the Shakahola forest has brought the total count to 403, shedding light on the horrifying consequences of the cult leader’s instruction to followers to starve themselves to “meet Jesus Christ.”
Kenyan authorities continue their search for graves in the forest, where the initial victims were found on April 13—some deceased, while others remained alive but severely weakened and malnourished.
Government autopsies indicate that starvation was the primary cause of death, although some victims, including children, showed signs of strangulation, beatings, or suffocation.
Since mid-April, the cult leader has been held in police custody. While state prosecutors have stated that he may face charges related to terrorism or genocide, no plea has been entered by him thus far. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to unravel the full extent of the incident.