shakahola mass graves Stories

Children’s Officer recounts how minors were rescued from Paul Mackenzie’s followers
Farhiya Hussein  |  Sep 04, 2025

Omar Mohamed, appearing as the 58th prosecution witness, recounted how the minors were discovered during investigations into the conduct of followers...

Murkomen warns Kenyans against silence on cults as new mass graves found in Kilifi
Lucy Mumbi  |  Sep 03, 2025

The CS expressed concern over the rising number of cult-related deaths, lamenting what he described as the collapse of community vigilance and respons...

Grief-stricken families relive pain as court hears Shakahola child torture case
Farhiya Hussein  |  Sep 03, 2025

The prosecution argued that such testimonies illustrate how Mackenzie’s radical sermons compelled parents to isolate their families, starve their chil...

Death toll rises to 25 as six more bodies exhumed in Binzaro Village cult probe
Farhiya Hussein  |  Aug 27, 2025

In addition to the graves, investigators have so far retrieved 21 body parts scattered across the site since the exercise kicked off last week.

Six more bodies exhumed in Binzaro village cult probe, total rises to 19
Farhiya Hussein  |  Aug 26, 2025

The pathologist said the team hopes to complete exhumations by the end of the week, after which post-mortems will be conducted to establish the causes...

Kwa Binzaro cult probe shifts to suspects’ phones and bank records
Farhiya Hussein  |  Aug 26, 2025

Detectives allege the suspects channelled funds into renting multiple houses in Malindi, which they used as holding spaces for victims before moving t...

Four more bodies exhumed in Kwa Binzaro, pathologist says graves scattered, victims buried naked
Farhiya Hussein  |  Aug 22, 2025

Four bodies were exhumed on Friday from three graves at Kwa Binzaro village in Kilifi County, bringing the total number of bodies recovered to nine si...

Five bodies exhumed in Kwa Binzaro as mass graves probe intensifies in Kilifi
Farhiya Hussein  |  Aug 21, 2025

Government Pathologist Dr Richard Njoroge appealed to families who have missing relatives to report to the Red Cross desk set up at Malindi District H...

13 more graves found in Kwa Binzaro as death toll rises amid cult fears
Farhiya Hussein  |  Aug 15, 2025

The grim discovery brings the total number of graves identified in the area to 21, following weeks of reports about unexplained disappearances believe...

Shakahola survivors detail horrors of starvation, brutality in court
Farhiya Hussein  |  Aug 15, 2025

His followers were instructed to fast without food or water until death. The chilling plan, they testified, had an order: children first, then women,...

Shakahola murder trial adjourned as prosecution cites new evidence
Farhiya Hussein  |  Aug 12, 2025

State Counsel Alex Ndiema and Victor Simbi told the court that investigators had uncovered new leads which could result in the arrest of more suspects...

Fresh evidence forces delay in cult leader Paul Mackenzie’s trial linked to 400 deaths
Lucy Mumbi  |  Aug 11, 2025

The prosecution requested extra time to complete investigations, stressing that the extension is intended to ensure a thorough inquiry and is not mean...

Fears of new cult deaths in Kilifi as court allows DCI to dig up Chakama Ranch's suspected mass graves
Farhiya Hussein  |  Jul 30, 2025

A Malindi court has now granted the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) permission to exhume more suspected mass graves in Binzaro village.

Court orders exhumation of bodies in Malindi's Binzaro Village amid cult fears
Farhiya Hussein  |  Jul 29, 2025

Survivors rescued from the area were reportedly unable to account for the whereabouts of several children, prompting fears that more victims may be bu...

Cabinet okays sweeping religious reforms amid fears of ‘Shakahola Two’ cult resurgence
Lucy Mumbi  |  Jul 29, 2025

Key measures include the formation of a Religious Affairs Commission, leadership standards, reforms to religious broadcasting and civic education to c...

Court hears grim details from Shakahola teen cult survivor on forced starvation
Farhiya Hussein  |  Jul 29, 2025

The court heard that within the secluded Shakahola forest, individuals were designated specific responsibilities, including village leadership, enforc...

Controversial preacher Paul Mackenzie denies link to new deaths, graves in Kilifi's Binzaro area
Farhiya Hussein  |  Jul 28, 2025

Mackenzie, who is currently held at Shimo La Tewa Prison, expressed his frustration and shock through his lawyer Lawrence Obonyo, stating that he has...

Malindi police recover body, two skulls, rescue four near Shakahola Forest
Farhiya Hussein  |  Jul 21, 2025

Three of those rescued, all women, appeared frail and were immediately rushed to Malindi Sub-County Hospital for medical attention.

Four bodies found in Mombasa, sparking probe into their 'sudden deaths'
Lucy Mumbi  |  Jul 15, 2025

The deaths were received between July 9 and July 14, 2025, triggering immediate deployment of an investigative team to the area to assess the situatio...

Government plans mass burials for Shakahola victims amid DNA identification delays
Farhiya Hussein  |  Apr 08, 2025

Since the exhumation of 429 bodies from the Chakama forest, the government has collected 336 DNA samples. However, only 66 bodies have been positively...

Migrants' bodies in Libya mass graves had gunshot wounds, IOM says
Reuters  |  Feb 11, 2025

It said the authorities were conducting forensic tests to understand the cause of their deaths and had detained three suspects.

Shakahola exhumation to resume Monday as DCI reveals fresh details on cult deaths
Farhiya Hussein  |  Jun 06, 2024

Since the inception of the first phase in April last year, a total of 446 bodies have been exhumed.

Shakahola massacre: Seven more bodies found in three graves, total now 436
Farhiya Hussein  |  Jun 03, 2024

The discovery from three gravesites raised the number of bodies to 436 since the first phase of exhumations began last April.

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