Suspected cultic group in Kilifi as 4 starve to death, 11 rescued awaiting for ‘Jesus’ return
Fears of existence of a cultic worship group have gripped a remote village in Kilifi after a pastor controlling his ‘worshippers’ prevailed upon them to fast to death awaiting the return of ‘messiah’.
Yesterday, police in Malindi, Kilifi County rescued eleven people who were allegedly manipulated into starving to death by zealot pastor Paul Makenzie Nthenge of the Good News International Church.
Four people died during the rescue process and did not make it to hospital.
Preliminary police and medical findings show they were heavily emaciated.
Also, there are fears of possible unreported deaths and mass graves in the village tucked deep into the forest where seemingly brainwashed residents even tried to block police and medical personnel from rescuing the victims.
Nthenge became a person of interest in late March this year after he was linked to the deaths of two children who were allegedly starved to death by their parents believed to have been acting on advice from the extremist spiritual leader.
A police report corroborated this information, saying: “We have received reports of ignorant citizens starving to death under the pretext of meeting Jesus after being brainwashed by a suspect, Makenzie Nthenge, a pastor of Good News International Church.
The fingerprints of the dead were taken for identification as most of them had no identification documents and no mobile phones.
Police have identified those hospitalised in critical condition as Allan Obiero (17), Wycliffe Waimoi (43), Mercy Aoko (35) from Kisumu, Paul Karisa from Kilifi and Jane Nyambura (38) and Alfred Shitemi (32) from Vihiga.
There’s also Felix Wandera (37) from Busia, David Abuhaya (49) from Vihiga, Collins Kabaye (22) from Busia, Monica Masika (36) from Kakamega and an unknown adult female.
Earlier this month, more than 10 people from Shakahola and Msimba villages in Kilifi were seriously injured after neighbours attacked them for being followers of the controversial church.
Meanwhile, the bodies of two children allegedly starved to death by their parents have yet to be exhumed, two weeks after a Malindi court ordered it.
Despite being subsequently charged in court, Nthenge was released on a Sh10,000 police bond.
