Kenya: Deadly fasting allows to meet Jesus? Four bodies of sect followers exhumed in a forest
New exhumations that occurred in Kenya on Sunday, April 23, bring the number of discovered bodies in the Shakahola forest, located in the east of the country, to around fifty in the past week. The deceased were followers of the International Church of Good News, a sect whose leader instructed them to fast in order to « meet Jesus. »
Indeed, for over a week now, around 50 bodies have been exhumed in eastern Kenya according to a count made on Sunday, April 23 as part of an investigation into the deaths of followers of a sect.
Actually, the leader of this sect allegedly instructed his members to fast in order to «meet Jesus».
«Today (Sunday), we exhumed 26 bodies, bringing the total number to 47 since Friday», said Charles Kamau, head of criminal investigations for the Malindi sub-county (east), adding that searches are ongoing to find more bodies or possible survivors in the Shakahola forest.
Four bodies of followers of the International Church of Good News, led by Makenzie Nthenge, had already been found last week by the authorities.
Furthermore, some followers of the International Church of Good News are still hiding in the forest.
A female follower was found on Sunday by the authorities. With bulging eyes, she refused to eat before being taken to an ambulance.
«She absolutely refused to receive first aid and firmly closed her mouth, refusing to be assisted, wanting to continue her fast until death», said Hussein Khalid, a member of Haki Africa, an organization that alerted the police about the actions of the International Church of Good News.
« We are calling on the national government to send troops to the ground so that we can go inside (the forest) and rescue these victims who are fasting to death», he concluded.
Sitou
