The death toll from an apocalyptic cult in Kenya has surpassed 400 as detectives exhumed more bodies last Monday. All of them appear to be followers of a leader who ordered them to stop eating and die in order to "meet Jesus." Pastor Paul Mackenzie, associated with the cult based in the forested area of Malindi on Kenya's coast, is under police custody along with 36 other suspects, although no charges have been filed against them yet.

 

According to Regional Commissioner Rhoda Onyancha, the death toll has now risen to 403, with 95 people rescued. Last month, some of the suspects and rescued individuals went on a hunger strike in prison and at the rescue center, leading the prosecutor to bring them to trial for attempted suicide. The majority agreed to resume eating, but one suspect died while in custody.

 

Authorities have received reports of 613 missing persons in Malindi, as informed by the Kenyan Red Cross. Detectives continue to uncover mass graves. Onyancha stated that DNA analysis has been conducted on 253 of the 403 bodies. Pathologists had previously reported that most of the bodies were in an advanced state of decomposition.

 

Mackenzie relocated to the forested area in 2019 after his church was closed down due to his sermons, which urged children not to attend school. He had previously been arrested and released on bail in cases related to missing children.

 

A commission of inquiry formed by President William Ruto was disbanded by a court after opposition leader Raila Odinga filed a petition against it. The President declared that what happened in Malindi is "equivalent to terrorism" and pledged to fight against "those who use religion to perpetrate their heinous crimes."