13 more graves found in Kwa Binzaro as death toll rises amid cult fears
The grim discovery brings the total number of graves identified in the area to 21, following weeks of reports about unexplained disappearances believed to be linked to an outlawed religious cult.
Authorities in Kilifi County have uncovered 13 additional graves in Kwa Binzaro village, Chakama, in what investigators fear could be a repeat of the Shakahola massacre.
The grim discovery brings the total number of graves identified in the area to 21, following weeks of reports about unexplained disappearances believed to be linked to an outlawed religious cult.
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The graves were detected during a mapping and identification exercise led by homicide detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Friday.
In total, so far, 11 bodies from Kwa Binzaro have been found, with preliminary forensic findings suggesting that the victims may have died from prolonged starvation after being coerced into fasting without food or water.
At the same time, police have detained eleven suspects arrested in the village.
Malindi Law Courts have granted the DCI more time to interrogate them and gather further evidence.
Investigators are probing possible connections between Kwa Binzaro and the Good News International Church, whose leader, Paul Mackenzie, is facing trial over the deaths of more than 400 people in Shakahola forest, about 50 kilometres away.
The Kwa Binzaro case has sparked alarm among human rights groups, who fear that radicalisation networks remain active in the coastal region despite ongoing prosecutions.
Activists have called on the government to act swiftly to prevent further loss of life, citing intelligence reports that children are among the dead and missing.
The Shakahola tragedy, which came to light in early 2023, shocked the nation and the world after mass graves were discovered in a remote forest.
Victims were found to have died from forced starvation, strangulation, and other forms of abuse, allegedly as part of a deadly doctrine promising salvation through death.
With the latest discovery, pressure is mounting on the authorities to ensure thorough investigations, bring perpetrators to justice, and provide closure for grieving families.
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