Highlights: In Kenya, eleven new remains, presumed to be those of members of the International Church of Good News sect, were found on April 24, 2023 in a forest in the east of the country. The faithful had been called by their leader to "fast" to meet Jesus and reach paradise. For Kenyan President William Ruto, this case is akin to "terrorism" and he has called Pastor Paul Mackenzie Nthenge a "criminal" whose place is in prison. The case is due to be heard in court on 2 May 2023.

In Kenya, eleven new remains, presumed to be those of members of the International Church of Good News sect, were found on April 24, 2023 in a forest in the east of the country, bearing...

Kenya: 58 bodies of suspected cult followers exhumed, President Ruto breaks the silence

[Illustrative image] An investigator crosses a cordon to exhume the bodies of suspected members of a cult called Good News International Church, in the Shakahola forest of Kilifi County, Kenya, April 22, 2023 REUTERS - STRINGER

Text by: RFI Follow

2 min

In Kenya, eleven new remains, presumed to be those of members of the International Church of Good News sect, were found on April 24, 2023 in a forest in the east of the country, bringing to 58 the number of people found dead. The faithful had been called by their leader to "fast" to meet Jesus and reach paradise. For Kenyan President William Ruto, this case is akin to "terrorism".

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With our correspondent in Nairobi, Albane Thirouard

Terror is rocking Kenya as police continue to uncover new bodies, believed to be those of cult followers, in the Shakahola forest, near the eastern town of Malindi.

Eleven new bodies were exhumed on the morning of April 24, 2023, bringing the total toll to 58 people found dead and presumed to belong to the International Church of Good News.

► Read also Kenya: 18 new bodies of alleged faithful of a sect exhumed, the case shakes the country

The faithful had been called by their leader, Pastor Paul Mackenzie Nthenge, to "fast" to meet Jesus and reach paradise.

As excavations continue and the death toll mounts, the case provokes cascading reactions in Kenya.

Kenyan President William Ruto is outraged

President William Ruto spoke for the first time on this case on Monday morning. According to him, the situation in Shakahola is akin to "terrorism". He called Pastor Paul Mackenzie Nthenge a "criminal" whose place is in prison.

Kenya's interior minister had already called the deaths a "massacre" on Twitter on Sunday and said the land was now considered a "crime scene". He planned to visit the site tomorrow and announced reinforcements to support the search.

Because the scale of the task is worrying. Investigators have more than 300 hectares of land to comb through. And some of the faithful may still be alive.

Twenty-nine of them have already been found alive according to police and are hospitalized, with some continuing to refuse to eat.

The Kenya Red Cross Society has registered 112 reports of missing persons

The Kenya Red Cross Society has already registered 112 reports of missing persons at its tracing office on site.

Paul Mackenzie Nthenge has already surrendered to the police and is in custody with six of his followers. He had already been arrested last month after two children died of starvation. But he was released on bail.

The case is due to be heard in court on 2 May 2023.

Several dozen more bodies were found on Sunday in the forest of #Shakahola, in eastern #Kenya🇰🇪.

The deceased, faithful of the International #Église of Good News, were allegedly forced by their leader to fast to "meet #Jésus" pic.twitter.com/xBE30Tv2D0

Kenya: 58 bodies of suspected cult followers exhumed, President Ruto breaks the silence

Kenya: 58 bodies of suspected cult followers exhumed, President Ruto breaks the silence

Kenyan President William Ruto is outraged

The Kenya Red Cross Society has registered 112 reports of missing persons

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