Nearly a month after the gruesome recovery of human body parts and the discovery of graves in Kwabinazaro, the homicide department of the DCI is now on site, digging up the graves.
Five bodies were recovered from six of the graves exhumed on the first day of the exercise, with a total of 27 graves earmarked for examination.
“…Of the six, we found five bodies and also around that area, we found 10 different scattered body parts in different places on the surface,” Government Pathologist Dr. Richard Njoroge said.
Unlike the Shakahola massacre, where graves were bundled in one place, in Kwabinazaro, the graves are far apart from each other, making the tracing and exhumation much more difficult.
The first day of the exhumation also yielded revelations of how the suspected cult leaders and their members operated.
In one of the enclosures is what appears to be a meeting space. Sources close to the ongoing investigations indicate that this is where a woman believed to be the local leader, identified only as Shirleen, held court and taught the members of this outfit.
“…Still in the thickets is a structure with three rooms… these are believed to be the dying rooms, quite literally. It is believed that the faithful who had agreed to fast to death were held in two of the rooms, one for men and the other for women. The victims would stay there until they breathed their last. Their bodies were collected in the central room before being transferred to yet another room, then buried in different places within the five-acre ranch,” said Kilifi County Commissioner Josphat Biwott.
Vocal Afrika Walid Sketty added, “…Prior to today’s exhumations, a total of eleven deaths had been reported from Kwabinazaro, linked to suspected cult-like activities. The cult is also believed to be tied to the Good News International, Paul Mackenzie-led cult in Shakahola, which is part of the expansive Chakama Ranch, where Kwabinazaro is also located.”
