The suspected mastermind, who identified himself as “Pastor Zablon Wa Yesu“, was found while reading a Bible on a section of the expansive 800-acre land owned by Makenzie, police said on Monday.
Police also rescued nine people from death by starvation on Monday.
According to police, five of the rescued people were in critical condition and have been rushed to hospital.
The suspected mastermind, however, was not fasting.
He told police he was waiting until June so that he would start fasting along with some other men from the Good News International Church.
Authorities also confirmed finding seven bodies in one grave on Monday, the highest from one site.
Those who have died have jumped over 60
Officials on the ground said the bodies were 67 and include over 50 that were exhumed while the rest died in hospital.
An exhumation is ongoing at the land of
Makenzie, is in police custody, as detectives probe the starvation to death of tens of people.
Police also suspect that some of the victims did not starve to death and may have been killed and then buried on the property.
Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome updated the tally after visiting the scene, adding that 29 people had been rescued and taken to hospital.
Eight of those rescued so far had died under treatment.
Questions have been raised on possible laxity and negligence by administrators and the local security apparatus.
The team deployed to carry out the exhumations and rescue operation complained of a lack of adequate manpower.
On Sunday, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki directed the Coast Regional Coordinator, together with the regional security team, to reinforce the team in Malindi ahead of his visit on Tuesday.
Kindiki said enough security officers have been deployed and the entire land was sealed off as a crime scene.
“The unfolding Shakahola forest massacre is the clearest abuse of the constitutionally enshrined human right to freedom of worship. Prima facie, large-scale crimes under Kenyan law, as well as international law, have been committed,” the CS said.
President William Ruto weighed in on the controversial church in Kilifi as shocking deaths by starvation of members of the suspected cult continue to be unearthed.
Ruto said Makenzie, who is suspected to have brainwashed his congregation into starving to their death is a terrorist and belongs in jail.
“What we are seeing in Kilifi in Shakahola is keen to terrorism, there is no difference. Mackenzie pretends and postures as a pastor when he is a dangerous criminal,” Ruto said.
“People like Paul Makenzie are using religion to do exactly the same thing.”
Ruto said he has instructed relevant agencies to investigate the matter fully to identify the cause of the matter.
“Any religious group that peaches against the tenets of the constitution, that teaches against seeking medical adoption or going to school should be prosecuted, institutions closed down,” he said.
“People like Makenzie do not belong to any religion, they belong to jail and that is where they should be.”
Makenzie was arrested on 15 April after discovering the bodies of four people suspected of having starved themselves to death.
This followed a tip-off from a follower at the church.
One of the graves contained the bodies of five members of the same family – three children and their parents.
He has denied wrongdoing but has been refused bail. He insists that he shut down his church in 2019.
The followers say he told them to starve themselves in order to “meet Jesus”.
