KENYA: Four More Bodies Unearthed In Kwa Binzaro As Cult Probe Widens

By Lisbeth Micheni, Kenya 

Authorities in Kilifi County have uncovered four additional bodies in Kwa Binzaro village, pushing the death toll in the suspected cult-linked case to 13.

Alongside the bodies, eight body parts were retrieved on Monday, bringing the total number of remains collected to 18.

The discovery was made by a joint security team scouring thickets adjacent to the Shakahola forest an area already infamous for the 2023 massacre associated with controversial preacher Paul Mackenzie.

Coast Regional Commissioner Rhoda Onyancha confirmed that 11 suspects are in custody, among them a woman believed to have orchestrated the activities in the village.

She revealed that investigators are also probing how the land, part of Chakama Ranch, came into her possession.

Preliminary findings suggest that some of the victims might have previously been rescued during the Shakahola operation but later drifted back, possibly after being rejected by relatives or their communities.

Onyancha noted that the victims resettled deeper in the forest, away from the earlier scene of mass graves.

The latest turn of events has reignited debate on how effectively government agencies and rehabilitation groups are handling the reintegration of survivors of cult indoctrination.