Almost a year after the disturbing incident came to light, the families of over 400 victims of the Shakahola cult massacre will finally receive the bodies of their loved ones today.
This happened after pathologists published the exhumed bodies' DNA results in February, allowing the families to bury their loved ones.
As they prepare for the next round of exhumations, a multi-sectoral team involved in the investigation met with government pathologist Dr. Johansen Oduor, who has been in charge of the postmortem process.
Speaking about the identification process, Dr. Oduor stated that one of the main obstacles was family members' lack of cooperation because of the stigma associated with the cause of death, which was connected to cultism.
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He continued, saying that the identification process had slowed down.
As authorities intensify their investigations, Pastor Paul Mackenzie, the primary suspect, and his 95 co-accused are still being held in custody.
The Prevention of Terrorism Act, 2012 and the Prevention of Organized Crimes Act, 2010 prohibit them from participating in organized criminal activity, radicalizing others, and aiding in the commission of terrorist acts, among other offenses.
In the alleged cult, over 425 people have been officially declared dead, while over 600 are still listed as missing.
The long-running cult came under intense national scrutiny in 2023 when two children died in the care of their parents after Mackenzie gave churchgoers instructions to starve themselves to "meet Jesus."
According to reports, members of the Good News International church led by Mackenzie were persuaded to commit suicide by starvation.
Mackenzie was taken into police custody on April 15, 2023, following his arrest.
