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Agencies brace for another expensive Kilifi cult inquiry
A police officer manning the home in Binzaro within Chakama Ranch, in what appears like the Shakahola cult.
The investigation into a suspected starvation cult operating in Binzaro village in Chakama, Kilifi County, has entered a critical phase after elite homicide detectives officially took over the crime scene.
Led by Director of the Homicide Division at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Martin Nyuguto, the team of crime scene experts at the weekend began to map a five-acre homestead believed to be the epicentre of the latest case of religious indoctrination in the region.
“This is a sensitive and evolving case. We are treating the area as a highly active crime scene, with several probable gravesites already identified for forensic examination,” said a source close to the investigation, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the nature of the case.
Preliminary forensic work has uncovered at least four suspected graves within the compound, raising fears that some could be mass graves. The DCI is now mobilising additional resources, including personnel and equipment, in preparation for what could be another extensive recovery operation, drawing lessons from the 2023 Shakahola cult tragedy.
A water pan in the homestead of Good News International Church Pastor Paul Mackenzie at Chakama Ranch in Malindi, Kilifi County, which was deserted following his arrest in this photo taken on April 17, 2023.
Investigations and subsequent judicial proceedings into the Shakahola massacre consumed massive state resources. This sparked concern and complaints from several involved agencies, including the County Government of Kilifi and state prosecutors.
In 2024, Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung'aro complained that the county had spent about Sh36 million to power two makeshift mortuaries at Malindi sub-County Hospital. The refrigerated containers were used to preserve around 429 bodies exhumed from Shakahola.
Read: Kilifi cult probe widens after rescue of missing Siaya couple, six children unaccounted
That same year, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) sought an adjournment of the cases against preacher Paul Mackenzie and his 94 co-accused, citing financial constraints that hampered facilitation of prosecutors travelling from Nairobi to Mombasa for the trials. Three separate proceedings are currently underway at the Mombasa Law Courts, Tononoka Children’s Court, and Shanzu Law Courts.
“The agencies handling the matter are experiencing a cash crunch; it has become difficult to facilitate officers to travel and prosecute the case,” State Counsel Victor Simbi told the Tononoka Children's Court in November last year. The cases have since resumed.
The government also had to cater for the travel and upkeep of homicide detectives from Nairobi to Malindi, police officers stationed at the camp near Shakahola Forest to secure the crime scene, a team of pathologists led by Chief Government Pathologist Dr Johansen Oduor, and costs associated with DNA matching to identify exhumed remains.
Read: Inside forest and echoes of a cult tragedy
A report by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) criticised the Government Chemist, the agency responsible for DNA analysis, for its failure to expedite testing, primarily due to funding shortfalls. The process was hampered by a lack of reagents, materials, and equipment, leaving dozens of families in prolonged anguish and trauma.
So far, eleven suspects have been arrested in connection to the Binzaro cult and are being held for 30 days as police deepen investigations. Among the suspects is the owner of the property, as well as a couple from Siaya whose six children are feared dead.
Authorities said the woman, identified as Shirleen Temba Anido, owns the secluded property where the suspicious activities were first reported. The homestead is located in the same Chakama area where the Shakahola massacre took place.
Relatives of Mr Jairus Otieno and Ms Lilian Akinyi, the Siaya couple, said this was the second time the family had secretly joined an extremist religious group, having previously been members of Mackenzie’s church.
A close relative, who requested anonymity for privacy reasons, said the family first left their home in Siaya County for Kilifi without informing anyone in 2021. In March this year, the family of eight disappeared again, prompting relatives to file a missing persons report at the Siaya police station.
"They left and then returned home before the police started arresting people in Shakahola. This was his second time going back there. He just left and disappeared and we didn't know his whereabouts," said the relative.
Although detectives confirmed they are pursuing leads linking the Binzaro cult to Mackenzie’s teachings, the preacher, who remains in custody, has denied any involvement. Through his lawyer Lawrence Obonyo, Mackenzie stated that he has only been in contact with his legal team and close family members since his arrest in 2023.
"He doesn't know any of the suspects. Any attempts to link him to them are false and are part of a scheme to tarnish his name," Mr Obonyo said.
Investigators have sealed off the Binzaro homestead pending exhumation orders, which had not yet been granted by the Malindi court as of Monday, July 28. The Ministry of Interior confirmed in a statement issued on July 22 that two human skulls and the body of an unidentified adult male had been discovered in nearby thickets. The remains were transferred to Malindi Sub-County Hospital Mortuary for preservation and forensic examination.
The investigation began after a public tip-off led police to the compound, where they rescued four individuals. Authorities believe the victims were being held under the influence of radical religious teachings.
Reporting by Kevin Mutai, Brian Ocharo and Maureen Ongala
