shakahola forest Stories
The case, initially handled at the Malindi High Court, was transferred to Mombasa following a directive by Chief Justice Martha Koome, citing the scal...
Uncovered two years ago, the Shakahola tragedy saw 453 bodies exhumed from shallow graves, yet despite collecting 333 DNA samples, only 66 victims hav...
According to the county’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations, the victims may have died from starvation and suffocation linked to cult practices t...
The court heard that within the secluded Shakahola forest, individuals were designated specific responsibilities, including village leadership, enforc...
The now 16-year-old, testifying under witness protection as “SBB” before Chief Magistrate Alex Ithuku, described how his life was upended when his mot...
Mackenzie, currently in custody and on trial alongside 94 co-accused, is alleged to be directing followers via mobile phone, sparking concerns about t...
Police also recovered two human skulls and the fresh body of an unidentified man in nearby bushes. The five-acre parcel, now designated a crime scene,...
The arrests follow renewed fears of a revival of the Paul Mackenzie-led Shakahola cult, whose mass graves, uncovered in 2023, shocked the nation and d...
Three of those rescued, all women, appeared frail and were immediately rushed to Malindi Sub-County Hospital for medical attention.
The ruling marked a significant win for the prosecution in the ongoing case involving Mackenzie and 37 others accused of serious offences related to t...
She said they handled 13 children, many of whom displayed symptoms of deep trauma and grief. Some carried intense anger, while others struggled with s...
So far, 333 DNA samples have been tested out of the 453 bodies recovered, yet only a fraction have been matched to their relatives.
The witness said he was given a motorcycle which he used to transport bodies to their mass burial sites.
The witness revealed that, after fasting for three days in the harsh conditions, he attempted to escape to find food.
The Ombudsman wants the Principal Secretary for the State Department of National Security and Administration and the Inspector General of police to ho...
The minor informed the court that her mother's efforts to have the case reported to the police were thwarted by Mackenzie.
The court heard that the gang carried out systematic exterminations under an intricate governance system.
The minor in his sworn evidence stated that he left with his father to the forest before their mother joined them inside Shakahola forest and never at...
Out of the 453 bodies linked to Mackenzie’s teachings, only 34 have been positively identified and handed over to relatives for burial.
Shanzu Senior Principal Magistrate Leah Juma was forced to adjourn the proceedings after the witness, a senior consultant surgeon, broke down in tears...
Mackenzie, along with 94 others, faces 13 counts of terrorism-related offences. The court has set marathon hearing dates from July 8-11 and July 22-25...
The Shakahola forest has been the site of a major investigation following reports of mass graves linked to a suspected cult.
Since the inception of the first phase in April last year, a total of 446 bodies have been exhumed.
The total exhumed bodies stand at 443, with the exercise continuing as families await closure.
The discovery from three gravesites raised the number of bodies to 436 since the first phase of exhumations began last April.
The homicide detectives, led by Director Martin Nyuguto, have spent the last few months mapping and identifying new mass graves.
Interior CS Kithure Kindiki said they will also offer transport for the deceased back to their ancestral homes
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights's Chairperson Roseline Adede complained that the process was painfully slow adding that by 1 pm only one...
When The Eastleigh Voice arrived at the Malindi Sub County Hospital on Tuesday morning for the exercise, only a few families had shown up for the coll...
Mwibo lost his mother, sister and niece who were devoted followers of Paul Mackenzie’s church, Good News International.
