FILE - Police and local residents load the exhumed bodies of victims of a religious cult into the back of a truck in the village of Shakahola, near the coastal city of Malindi, in southern Kenya on April 23, 2023. The number of people who died after a Kenyan pastor ordered his followers to starve to death in order to meet Jesus is at more than 300, authorities said Tuesday June 13, 2023, and the death toll is expected to rise as more exhumations are planned. (AP Photo, File)
FILE - Police and local residents load the exhumed bodies of victims of a religious cult into the back of a truck in the village of Shakahola, near the coastal city of Malindi, in southern Kenya on April 23, 2023. The number of people who died after a Kenyan pastor ordered his followers to starve to death in order to meet Jesus is at more than 300, authorities said Tuesday June 13, 2023, and the death toll is expected to rise as more exhumations are planned. (AP Photo, File)
BCNAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — The number of people who died after a Kenyan pastor ordered his followers to starve to death in order to meet Jesus has surpassed 300, authorities said Tuesday, and the death toll is expected to rise as more exhumations are planned.
The death toll increased to 303 after 19 more bodies were recovered from in the vast forested land in Kilifi County of coastal Kenya, where and his followers lived.
Coastal regional commissioner Rhoda Onyancha told local journalists that 613 people tied to the area are missing.
On Monday, 65 of the 95 parishioners whom authorities said they rescued from the property were charged with attempting suicide after they staged a hunger strike to protest being held at a shelter. They were moved to a jail.
in April after investigators received a tip that dozens of people were starving to death after their pastor told them it was a way to meet Jesus. The emaciated followers were treated at a Malindi hospital before they were taken to the shelter.
Mackenzie is expected back in court this week after police were granted more time to hold him pending investigations.
Before his arrest in April, the pastor had been charged in connection with the disappearance of children but was released on bond. Kenyan President William Ruto has likened Mackenzie to a terrorist.
Interior Minister Kindiki Kithure said more mass graves were earmarked for exhumation. He suggested the pastor might be charged terrorism or genocide-related offenses.
The ´ºÉ«Ö±²¥ Press. All rights reserved.
Kirsten Hillman, Canada's ambassador to the United States, says much progress has …
´ºÉ«Ö±²¥ aid agencies say malnutrition and starvation is rampant among children in…
Sorry, an error occurred.
Already Subscribed!
Cancel anytime
Thank you .
Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in.
Check your email for details.
Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password.
An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account.
No promotional rates found.
Secure & Encrypted
Thank you.
Your gift purchase was successful! Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in.
| Rate: | |
| Begins: | |
| Transaction ID: |
A receipt was sent to your email.
