https://en.sputniknews.africa/20230508/kenya-cult-massacre-post-mortems-rule-out-organ-trade-1059117035.html
Kenya Cult Massacre: Post-Mortems Rule Out Organ Trade
Kenya Cult Massacre: Post-Mortems Rule Out Organ Trade
Sputnik Africa
The Kenyan authorities have completed postmortems on 112 bodies of cult members found in Shakahola village, Kilifi County, excluding the possibility of organ harvesting, local media has reported.
2023-05-08T15:50+0200
2023-05-08T15:50+0200
2023-05-08T15:50+0200
sub-saharan africa
east africa
kenya
starvation
religious cult
death toll
autopsy
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Authorities have ruled out organ harvesting after completed post-mortems on the 112 bodies of cult members found in Kenya's Shakahola village, Kilifi county, local media has reported. According to chief pathologist Johansen Oduor, the majority of the victims died from starvation, whilst others perished from strangulation and suffocation. Most of the deceased are children and women. Following the end of the initial autopsies, police are expected to return to the village to exhume more bodies from mass graves in search of cult members, who were allegedly convinced by the cult's leader Paul Mackenzie that fasting would allow them to see Jesus.Last week, exhumations in Shakahola village, located near the coastal city of Malindi in southern Kenya, were suspended due to heavy rains. It was noted that they will be resumed on Monday, but the process depends on weather conditions and the state of the ground.The local Red Cross has raised concerns that the number of dead could rise further, as more than 300 people in the area have been reported missing. On Saturday, local media reported that three more people were found alive in Shakahola, as search operations for survivors are underway. The number rescued so far stands at 61. On Friday, Kenyan President William Ruto appointed a commission to investigate the death of members of the religious cult known as the Good News International Church, headed by Paul Mackenzie. The commission is expected to indicate the circumstances under which the deaths occurred, identify people and organizations most responsible for the Shakahola forest massacre and recommend specific actions to hold them accountable. Cult leader Mackenzie was arrested on April 14 accused of starving his followers to death and now is in police custody facing terrorism charges. One of Kenya's high-profile pastors, Ezekiel Odero, was also detained by police in connection with Mackenzie's case. However, on Thursday, he was released on bail of 1.5 million Kenyan shillings (about $11,000).
https://en.sputniknews.africa/20230501/kenyan-authorities-start-post-mortems-of-starvation-cult-victims--1058968295.html
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east africa, kenya, starvation cult, pastor ezekiel odero, deaths, investigation, cult, autopsy, post-mortems
east africa, kenya, starvation cult, pastor ezekiel odero, deaths, investigation, cult, autopsy, post-mortems
Kenya Cult Massacre: Post-Mortems Rule Out Organ Trade
The Kenyan cult whose members starved themselves to death has so far claimed the lives of over 100 people. Last week, authorities started autopsies on the bodies, underlining that the experts would consider all possibilities, in particular whether some of the victims' organs were missing.
Authorities have ruled out organ harvesting after completed post-mortems on the 112 bodies of cult members found in Kenya's Shakahola village, Kilifi county, local media has reported.
According to chief pathologist Johansen Oduor, the majority of the victims died from starvation, whilst others perished from strangulation and suffocation. Most of the deceased are children and women.
Following the end of the initial
autopsies, police are expected to return to the village to exhume more bodies from mass graves in search of cult members, who were allegedly convinced by the cult's leader Paul Mackenzie that fasting would allow them to see Jesus.
Last week, exhumations in Shakahola village, located near the coastal city of Malindi in southern Kenya, were suspended due to heavy rains. It was noted that they will be resumed on Monday, but the process depends on weather conditions and the state of the ground.
The local Red Cross has raised concerns that the number of dead could rise further, as more than 300 people in the area have been reported missing. On Saturday, local media reported that three more people were found alive in Shakahola, as search operations for survivors are underway. The number rescued so far stands at 61.
On Friday, Kenyan President William Ruto
appointed a commission to investigate the death of members of the religious cult known as the Good News International Church, headed by Paul Mackenzie. The commission is expected to indicate the circumstances under which the deaths occurred, identify people and organizations most responsible for the Shakahola forest massacre and recommend specific actions to hold them accountable.
Cult leader Mackenzie was arrested on April 14 accused of starving his followers to death and now is in police custody facing terrorism
charges. One of Kenya's high-profile pastors, Ezekiel Odero, was also detained by police in connection with Mackenzie's case. However, on Thursday, he was
released on bail of 1.5 million Kenyan shillings (about $11,000).
