A total of 43 dead bodies of believers have been recovered from the Good News International Church owned by Pastor Paul Makenzi in coastal Kenya.
The pastor, who has since been held by the police, had told his followers to fast to death until they met Jesus Christ.
Police later raided this church and first recovered about 15 severely starved people, including the four who later died. The followers said they were starving on the pastor’s instructions in order to meet Jesus.
John Kemboi, the Malindi sub-county police chief, said that shallower graves have yet to be dug up on the land belonging to pastor Paul Makenzi, who was arrested on April 14 over links to cultism.
Four more people died at Good News International Church after they and others were discovered starving last week, bringing the total death toll to 43.
In 2019, the same pastor was arrested in March this year in relation to the deaths of children, but he was released on police bond on both occasions.
Local politicians have urged the court not to release him this time, fearing he could even do more harm as cults in Kenya have been notoriously on the rise.
Police in Kenya have also asked court to allow them to hold Makenzi longer as investigations into the deaths of his followers continue.