Search for bodies to go on after 2-day break
Exhumation of bodies from mass graves in Shakahola will resume tomorrow as death toll crossed the 200-mark.
Coast Regional Commissioner Rhoda Onyancha (pictured below)on Saturday announced that they were suspending the exercise to give the forensic team an opportunity to reorganise logistics.
“The forensic team involved in exhumation will take a two-day break,” Onyancha said.
However, rescue and search operations of those trapped continued.
On Saturday, detectives exhumed 22 more bodies from mass graves while the number of those reported missing increased to 610.
Another person linked to the cult activities was arrested on Friday bringing the number of suspects in police custody to 26.
Samples collected
The dead were buried in the expansive 800-acre farm in the forest, almost 70 kilometres from Malindi. It is said detectives are also focusing on Good News International Church Pastor Paul Mackenzie’s homestead after getting reports of a mass grave there.
Onyancha further reported that no rescues were made on Saturday.
She also said 14 victims had been reunited with their families and that the number of DNA samples collected stood at 93.
Investigations are ongoing, we have so far arrested 26 suspects, who are due for legal processes,” the commissioner noted.
Mackenzie is being investigated for crimes including aiding suicide, after allegedly convincing members of his church to starve to death in order to ‘meet Jesus’.
The cult leader and tens of suspects have been arrested amid investigations and a court case to establish what happened in Shakahola.
This is as it emerged that a majority of Mackenzie’s followers had changed their names, making it difficult to identify their kin.
