Shakahola massacre: Death toll rises to 443 after 7 more bodies exhumed

The bodies were exhumed from seven graves raising the number of bodies exhumed in phase 5 to 14 and the death toll to 443. 

On the first day of the exercise, four bodies were exhumed from one grave while the other three were buried separately. 

Chief Government pathologist Johansen Oduor said the investigation was being conducted procedurally with the autopsy report.

“When somebody dies, the investigation is very wide from the place where the person was found, transportation of the body to the mortuary, to autopsy,” he said.

“Each and every agent usually has their own unique training on what to do in every stage so that now after every agency has done their part, a report is compiled and whatever we found is put together and taken to court for the purposes of prosecution.”

The homicide detectives have so far exhumed bodies from 10 graves. 

Homicide detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations returned to Shakahola on Monday to commence the fifth phase of exhuming bodies of victims from the Shakahola mass murder where a total of 50 graves were identified before the exercise began.

Homicide detectives are focusing on areas where 429 bodies had previously been exhumed from various mass graves.

The bodies are believed to be those of followers of the deadly religious doctrine linked to controversial Pastor Paul Mackenzie of Good News International Church in Kilifi County.

Mackenzie was arrested in April last year over accusations of inciting his followers to fast to death. 

Mackenzie and his 94 co-accused have been in custody since then, facing multiple charges including murder, manslaughter, and child torture in the Shakahola case.