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On Saturday, May 13th, search teams unearthed 22 more bodies from mass graves in Shakahola forest, Kilifi county, land owned by cult leader Paul Mackenzie. This is according to Coast Regional Commissioner Rhoda Onyancha.
Bodies exhumed were believers of Paul Mackenzie’s Good News International Church. The cultic leader who directed his congregation to death in a bid to ‘meet their maker’ has since been put locked behind bars from the first day detectives probed into his heinous acts.
Following the most recent discoveries, the death toll has risen to 201, making it one of the worst tragedies in Kenya’s history.
Our forensic team was able to exhume 22 bodies today but we have not reported any rescue.” Said Rhodah Onyancha, Coast Regional Commissioner.
After the authorities unearthed more bodies, the report now says that the total number of victims reported missing in the Shakahola forest has risen to 601.
The cult leader and tens of suspects have been arrested amid investigations and a court case to establish what happened in Shakahola.
One more suspect had been arrested by Saturday, Coast Regional Commissioner Rhoda Onyancha said as she gave updates in a press briefing, raising the total number of suspects to 26.
According to the Coast Regional Commissioner, 14 victims who were rescued from the forest have been reunited and the DNA samples collected now stand at 93.
Read: Four Of The 30 Bodies Exhumed From Shakahola Died As A Result Of Murder
Four Of The 30 Bodies Exhumed From Shakahola Died As A Result Of Murder
Rhoda Onyancha also added that the body exhuming exercise had been put to a halt for two days, until Tuesday, May 16th, this is to allow reorganization of logistical support. However, the search and rescue operations will continue as scheduled.
Read: Shakahola death toll hits 98 as eight more bodies of children exhumed
Some of the believers in Shakahola changed their names making them difficult to identify.
There has been confusion witnessed by the Kenya Red Cross, where families have failed to identify their rescued kin due to what authorities suspected was a deliberate plan by the cult traditions.
However, half of the families that have been reunited with their loved ones now claim videos and photos displayed in the news are what led to the reunion. The rest of those rescued are still unable to be linked with their families.
For instance, Ms. Fatuma Salim, who had reported her sister Shamim missing, identified her after a two weeks search. Her joy was, however, short-lived.
I had registered her as Shamim Salim, but there was no such name among those rescued. Weeks later, I showed the officers my sister’s photo. She had been rescued but gave her name as Damaris Vidzo.” She said.
Half of the families that have been reunited with their loved ones now claim videos and photos displayed in the news are what led to the reunion. The rest of those rescued are still unable to be linked with their families.
Coast Region Red Cross chief Hassan Musa admitted that identifying and reuniting the victims with their families is difficult and slow considering that most of the victims rescued from the forest have no identity documents.
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