Shakahola agents of death capitalised on security lapse, bodies recovered so far nears 100

The ugly face of diabolic mass massacre of suspected brainwashed and indoctrinated worshippers convinced to fast to death by controversial priest Paul Nthenge Mackenzie of Good News International Church has exposed possible national security lapse that agents of death exploited to hide and bury their dead victims without an iota of detection by the security agencies.

The agents of death are said to have been using bicycles and motorbikes to ferry their dead followers at night raising fears the death toll could rise ten-fold.

By yesterday evening, the number of deaths from the remote Shakahola village in Kilifi, eclipsed in the vast and bushy 800-acre piece of land associated to Mackenzie stood at 90.

More bodies are suspected to be lying underneath in identified spots believed to be shallow graves.

Strangely, remains unclear how the security agencies failed to detect suspicious happenings despite their victims having come from far and wide across the country traveling to the remote village.

Police bosses led by Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome and Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Mohamed Amin have since visited the area and termed it as a crime scene.

Also, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki toured the area after president William Ruto termed the happenings as acts of terrorism.

Yesterday, the multi-agency team rescued three people during the operation which saw two more suspects arrested for taking part in luring followers of controversial pastor to starve to death.

The numbers, which keep rising by the day, have occasioned a crisis in the nearby mortuaries which are now filled beyond capacity.

The Malindi sub-county hospital mortuary for instance can preserve only 12 bodies, while that of Kilifi can only preserve a maximum of 48 bodies.

The Kenya Red Cross has made arrangements to have a mobile mortuary that can preserve about 300 bodies since it is believed that hundreds may have died.

In the meantime, the detectives had planned to temporarily stop the exhumation exercise to pave way for the commencement of post-mortem, a proposal that has since been rejected by human rights activists.

However, the human rights organisations are calling for a change of strategy to ensure that the bodies are well preserved to protect the evidence needed to unearth the mystery behind the deaths.

Malindi Human Rights Centre Manager Victor Kaudo said: “17 bodies were exhumed, but they have to remain here until evening to be transported to mortuaries in Malindi, we think there is a problem with that.

HAKI Africa Executive Director Hussein Khalid, on his part, stated: “The question we’re asking is that, this is a government operation, they have the power, why shouldn’t there be two teams? One to continue to exhume the bodies, while another conducts port-mortem.”

A total of three people were rescued alive bringing the total number of those rescued to 34; the officers also arrested 2 more suspects for luring others to starve to death.

More questions however abound after detectives failed to find bodies of two children believed to have been buried in shallow grave outside the homestead of a former GSU officer who is said to have forced his children to fast to death.

Pastor Mackenzie, who was presented in court yesterday, will remain in police custody after Magistrate Ivy Wasike granted the prayers by investigators for more time to continue with the exhumation and post-mortem of the bodies as they piece together evidence to defend their case against him.

Meanwhile, the Director of Public Prosecution Noordin Haji has obtained fresh orders to continue detaining Mackenzie to allow time for completion of investigations.

This comes after the DPP Haji visited the Shakahola mass graves sites linked to the embattled Preacher where 17 bodies were discovered Tuesday bringing the total number to 90.

Eight people were also rescued bringing to 34 persons who have so far been rescued alive.

“In this regard, the Office obtained custodial orders for the detention of Paul Nthenge Mackenzie and other suspects, pending further investigations,” the DPP said.

The decision to obtain the fresh orders come after preliminary investigations indicate that Mackenzie and 14 of his followers may have been promoting radical beliefs for purposes of facilitating ideologically-based violence to advance political, religious or social change.