Second Shakhola massacre suspect dies while undergoing treatment

Edison Safari Munyambo alias Baba Sifa is said to have died a few days ago at a Mombasa hospital where he was undergoing treatment after a short illness.

Munyambo is the second accused person to die in custody after Mary Charo Mbita who died at Coast Teaching and Referral Hospital.

He was part of 95 accused persons charged with 283 counts of manslaughter before Mombasa Chief Magistrate Alex Ithuku.

The suspects, among them the main suspect Pastor Paul Mackenzie, are facing a plethora of charges which include murder, manslaughter and assault causing bodily harm, offences under the Penal Code Cap 63.

They will also be charged with engaging in organized criminal activity, radicalization and facilitating the commission of a terrorist act all violations under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, 2012 and the Prevention of Organized Crimes Act, 2010.

According to the ODPP, Margistrate Ithuku stated that the case should proceed while the court awaits the official death document.

"He indicated that once the court is briefed accordingly, the case against the deceased suspect can be marked as abated," said ODPP.

Over 420 bodies of Mackenzie’s doomsday cult, where followers were urged to starve themselves to death in order to ‘meet Jesus’ had been exhumed as of November 21, 2023.