Shakahola: 21 More Bodies Exhumed, Number Of Dead Rises To 133

KILIFI Kenya May 9 -A total 21 bodies were on Tuesday, May 9 exhumed from Shakahola Forest in phase two of the operation, bringing the total number of bodies to 133.

So far, 68 people have been rescued after five other people were found in the forest on Tuesday.

The Coast Regional Commissioner Rhoda Onyancha has said at least 566 people have been reported missing while 14 of the missing have been reunited with their families.

The process of identifying the deceased persons has also commenced with DNA samples from 95 families so far collected.

Another 25 people have so far been arrested including the controversial pastor Paul Nthenge Mackenzie of the International Church of Good News.

Detectives have said some of the victims had their organs removed from their bodies while others showed signs of murder.

“Autopsy reports have noted missing organs on some of the bodies of the victims that have so far been exhumed,” police said in court documents.

According to the autopsies so far performed on the 112 bodies, most of the victims died of hunger, probably after following the preaching of Mackenzie.

On May 3, the Chief Government pathologist Dr Johansen Oduor said the autopsy revealed the cause of death as strangulation, blunt object trauma and smothering.

In one of the cases, of the 30 bodies, eight were male while 22 were female. Apart from six whose death could not be determined, the rest died of starvation.

“We did autopsies of 15 adults and 9 children. There were six persons who we were not able to determine for certain whether they were adults or not because of the level of decomposition,” Dr Oduor said.

Dr Oduor added that two of the bodies that showed signs of murder died of asphyxia, while the other, achild, was hit on the head with a blunt object. The fourth victim was strangled.

“We could clearly see rope marks on the neck of one of them. We have also recorded some broken bones in the neck. We are sure that this person, a child, was strangled to death,” Dr Oduor said.

Besides the ongoing probe, President William Ruto on May 5 established a committee to investigate the circumstances that led to the deaths of the faithful of the Good News International, linked to Pastor Paul Makenzie.

The Commission, chaired by Lady Justice Jessie Lessit is also expected to investigate the role played by Makenzie, his pastoral team and the Kilifi County security committee in aiding and abetting the deaths of the church’s followers.

However, on May 8 the Azimio La Umoja moved to court to challenge the appointment of a judicial commission.

Azimio, through their lawyer Paul Mwangi, said by its formation, constitution and mandating the Commission of Inquiry is a usurpation by the President of the powers of among others the Parliament, Judiciary and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to his personal nominees.

Mwangi argued that the action in constituting the Commission of Inquiry is interfering with the independence of the Judiciary under Article 161 of the Constitution.

At the same time, Mwangi also argued that the formation of the inquiry team created a double jeopardy.

“The President is subjecting all criminal suspects and state and public officers who may be liable for disciplinary action to double jeopardy as the Commission of Inquiry is permitted to find the same persons culpable regardless of the outcomes of the processes authorized by the Constitution and law,” Azimio said in their petition.