Gruesome discoveries in day 2 of Shakahola exhumation: Children among the victims
Journalists and police officers in Shakahola Kilifi continue to be shocked at the extent of horrific discovery as the exhumation of bodies enters the second day.
On the first day of exhumation, police retrieved seven bodies from two gravesites. The two gravesites contained four graves; one with a mother and her child, another with a child, a third grave with three children and another with an adult, totaling to five children and two adults.
Police allude that most of Paul Mackenzie’s victims of starvation might be children, based on the recovered bodies.
Initially, the police had marked 32 gravesites in the vast Kilifi forest. As of yesterday evening, the men in blue had highlighted an additional 20 gravesites, indicating that the number of casualties is high.
As of today, the police were digging the third gravesite that has two graves in it.
According to NTV correspondent Kevin Mutai, who is at the scene, the bodies are buried in shallow graves and wrapped in bedsheets and blankets.
Mutai also pointed out that no regional leaders have been present or visited the scene since the police started the process, raising eyebrows at the county leadership.
Forensic analysis was suspended due to a shortage of personnel and resources, but three additional government pathologists from the government chemist have been deployed to Shakahola.
Police are still conducting search operations within the 800-acre forest as they believe there could be more victims fighting for their lives.
In the past, Paul Mackenzie has been arrested and released several times. In 2020, after his arrest, he closed his church (Good News International) and moved to Shakahola, where he seemingly continued his radicalization.
It is still baffling how cult leader Paul Mackenzie conducted his cult without raising suspicion from local leaders and intelligence agencies.