A Kenyan Christian pastor named Paul Mackenzie Nthenge was arrested on April 15 after allegedly telling his followers to starve to find Jesus.
So far, 7 people (including three children) have reportedly died of “starvation” after following the priest’s advice.
Police have recovered 21 bodies from the Shakahola forest in the eastern Kenya city of Malindi in connection with the ongoing investigation.
Paul Mackenzie Nthenge, who led the Good News International Church, had a “cult following” among the locals. He is now in police custody awaiting trial.
“In total since yesterday, we have 21 bodies…We have not even scratched the surface which gives a clear indication that we are likely to get more bodies by the end of this exercise,” an anonymous source told AFP.
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In his defense, the Christian pastor claimed he had done nothing wrong and that his church closed in 2019.
Nthenge reportedly recited the names of three villages (Nazareth, Bethlehem, and Judea) before baptizing people in ponds and telling them to starve to death.
Pathologists are now taking DNA samples from exhumed bodies to determine if all starved to death. The police received information that the “ignorant” in Chakhula forest were starving and managed to save 7 men and 4 women.
Police also arrested 6 associates of Paul Mackenzie Nthenge. The Christian priest is said to have gone on a hunger strike while in police custody.
The dead have been identified as Allan Obiero, Wycliffe Waimoi, Mercy Aoko, Paul Karisa, Jane Nyambura, Alfred Shitemi, Felix Wandera, David Abuhaya, Collins Kabaye, Monica Masika and an unknown adult female.
