Families of more than 400 victims of the Shakahola cult massacre are set to finally receive the remains of their loved ones today, nearly a year after the tragic incident came to public attention.
According to reports, DNA results from the exhumed bodies were released by pathologists in February, clearing the way for families to proceed with the burial arrangements for their relatives.
Dr. Johansen Oduor, the government pathologist leading the postmortem examinations, has been collaborating with a multi-sectoral team involved in the investigation to facilitate the next phase of exhumations.
Discussing the challenges encountered during the identification process, Dr. Oduor highlighted the reluctance of some family members to cooperate, citing the stigma associated with the circumstances of death linked to involvement in the cult.
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He emphasized that this reluctance has significantly hindered the identification efforts.
Meanwhile, Pastor Paul Mackenzie, the primary suspect, along with 95 co-accused individuals, remain in custody as authorities intensify their investigations.
The charges leveled against them in court include allegations of organized criminal activity, radicalization, and facilitation of terrorist acts, all of which are violations under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, 2012, and the Prevention of Organized Crimes Act, 2010.
The toll of the suspected cult stands at over 425 confirmed deaths, with more than 600 individuals still reported missing.
The scrutiny on the cult intensified in 2023 when two children died while under parental care, allegedly as a result of Mackenzie’s instructions for his church members to undergo self-imposed starvation to “meet Jesus.”
Investigations revealed that Mackenzie, the leader of the Good News International church, had influenced his followers to starve themselves to death.
Mackenzie was apprehended on April 15, 2023, and has remained in police custody since then.
