Kenyan police Monday have exhumed dozens of bodies from mass graves in a forest in eastern Kenya linked to a religious cult whose followers allegedly starved themselves to get to heaven.
Paul Mackenzie Nthege, the leader of the cult, was arrested after police received a tip-off that his vast land on the Shakahola forest in the Kilifi County of eastern Kenya, contained mass graves. ?
Police clad in overalls have been scouring the site since Friday when they have found increasing number of bodies each day.
Police attended the site Friday and started exhuming bodies finding an increasing number of bodies found each day.
There are fears the numbers could rise as the Kenya Red Cross said 112 people had been reported missing to its staff at Malindi.
Kenya’s President Ruto branded Mackenzie a “terrible criminal,” whose actions were “akin to terrorists.”
The case has sent shockwaves through Kenya and the government has vowed tighter regulations on religious bodies and organisations.
Kenya is a deeply religious country and has had problems in the past with unregulated churches and cults.