Kenyan Authorities Complete Post-Mortems on Cult Followers, Investigation Continues.
The Kenyan government has recently concluded the third phase of post-mortems on the bodies believed to be associated with a cult led by Paul Mackenzie Nthenge. The exhumation process had been temporarily halted until sufficient storage capacity and resources were available to conduct autopsies on additional bodies.
To date, a total of 338 post-mortems have been performed on the bodies excavated from the vast Shakahola forest, which has been linked to the cult. Of these, 201 were adults, while 117 were children. Unfortunately, due to severe decomposition, the ages of 20 others could not be determined.
Based on the coroner’s report, 131 of the bodies were male and 185 were female. However, the sex of 22 bodies was undeterminable due to advanced decay. Disturbingly, approximately 600 individuals are still reported missing, according to the Kenya Red Cross.
Dr. Johansen Oduor, Kenya’s chief government pathologist, emphasized the challenges of conducting post-mortems on such a large number of bodies. The findings from the examinations are contributing to a deeper understanding of the causes of death. While some bodies exhibited signs of strangulation and blunt-force trauma, starvation appears to be the primary cause of death in most cases.
A ruling regarding the duration of the detention for Paul Mackenzie and 28 other suspects, including his wife, is expected to be delivered on July 3rd. The investigation into the cult and its activities continues as authorities work diligently to uncover the truth behind these tragic events.
