Kilifi: Fears of New Cult Emerge after Police Recover 2 Human Skulls, Dead Body
- Police have rescued four people from a secluded compound in Kilifi county, suspected to be a site of religious radicalisation
- Two human skulls and a fresh body were discovered nearby as authorities launched a wide-reaching investigation
- The rescued couple had previously been rescued in the 2023 Shakahola cult crackdown but mysteriously vanished again this year
TUKO.co.ke journalist Harry Ivan Mboto has over three years of experience reporting on politics and current affairs in Kenya
A remote village in Kilifi has once again drawn national attention, this time over a chilling case of suspected religious extremism and mysterious deaths.
Source: Getty Images
Four people have been rescued and at least three deaths are under investigation in Binzaro village, Chakama location, Kilifi county, in what authorities suspect to be a re-emergence of religious radicalisation activities.
The police operation followed a public tip-off about strange goings-on within a secluded five-acre compound, which was allegedly being used for cultic purposes.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Interior released on Tuesday, July 22, the rescued individuals include a 50-year-old man who had been reported missing at Siaya Police Station on April 15, his 40-year-old wife, and two women aged 40 and 19.
Early investigations suggest that the group may have been held under the psychological grip of extreme religious teachings.
2 human skulls, decomposing body found in Kilifi
While combing through the surrounding area, police officers came across two human skulls and the freshly decomposed body of an unidentified adult male in a nearby thicket, raising further suspicion about what had been taking place on the property.
The prime suspect, whose identity remains undisclosed, was arrested during the raid.
Alongside him, three others believed to be compound managers were also taken into custody.
In addition, police have detained three more individuals who were allegedly involved in the sale of the land to the suspect.
Investigators say the transaction is now under review due to unresolved issues around ownership legitimacy and transparency.
Couple saved from Shakahola rescued from another cult
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Malindi has since placed the rescued persons under protective custody.
Efforts are underway to obtain court warrants for a comprehensive forensic examination of the site, which could reveal more about the suspected cult’s operations.
In a troubling twist, the couple rescued in this latest operation had reportedly been among those saved during the 2023 Shakahola crackdown.
However, according to a family member, they vanished again earlier this year.
In March, they fled their Siaya home with their six children, aged between one and 15, and later resurfaced in Kilifi under unclear circumstances.
The man’s brother revealed that the family had initially been reintegrated into their community after the Shakahola operation but disappeared months ago without explanation.
Source: Twitter
Was Paul Mackenzie of Shakahola massacre arrested?
Binzaro is part of the wider Chakama area that includes Shakahola forest, the site of the 2023 religious cult tragedy where more than 450 bodies were recovered from shallow graves.
That case, now commonly referred to as the Shakahola massacre, involved Pastor Paul Mackenzie of the Good News International Church.
Mackenzie allegedly convinced his followers to starve themselves and their children to death in pursuit of heaven.
He was arrested and presented before court, where he faced over 200 charges of unknowingly killing people.
Proofreading by Asher Omondi, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
