Morticians carry the remains of a person exhumed at Kwa Bi Nzaro village within the vast Chakama Ranch in Kilifi County on August 28, 2025 as part of investigations into a suspected cult.
The probe into the Kwa Bi Nzaro cult deaths has taken a chilling twist after it emerged that victims’ bodies were dumped in the forest to be devoured by wild animals in a deliberate attempt to destroy evidence of their deaths.
Prosecutors told the court that some were interred in shallow graves, less than a foot deep, exposing them to scavenging animals.
“A good number of them were not buried at all, they were thrown into the forest and consumed by wild animals. The graves were not within the initial five acres under investigation. As the search continued, the exercise expanded to 400 acres,” said Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Jami Yamina.
He noted that the recovery of 102 commingled human remains was evidence that many victims had not been properly buried but abandoned in thorny bushes to be eaten by animals.
On Friday, Malindi Principal Magistrate Joy Wesonga directed that four suspects be placed under witness protection following an application by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. The four are said to be cooperating with investigators and will testify against self-styled priestess Sharleen Temba Anido and three of her close associates.
Sharlyne Anindo Temba, who is suspected to be the “chief priestess” of the Kwa Bi Nzaro cult.
At the same time, the court ordered the release of Safari Kenga Nzai, Karisa Gona Fondo and Charo Gona Kalama on free bond under strict conditions. They must report to the Makongeni assistant chief twice weekly and to investigators biweekly, while refraining from contacting witnesses or interfering with evidence.
Meanwhile, police are seeking an additional 60 days to detain Ms Anido, Kahindi Kazungu Garama, Thomas Mukonwe and James Kazungu, currently held at Ngerenya, Kilifi, Watamu and Kijipwa police stations. The extension request is supported by an affidavit sworn by Inspector Oliver Nabonwe.
Investigators say the four played key roles in reviving radical teachings after fleeing Shakahola, where at least 454 followers of Pastor Paul Mackenzie’s Shakahola Good News International Church died through forced starvation.
According to Mr Yamina, the suspects not only radicalised followers but also orchestrated mass deaths, which they described as a “holy safari to see Jesus”.
“Ms Anido, Garama, Mukonwe and Kazungu are a danger to themselves. They are not a flight risk but a death risk. They may take their own lives at any given opportunity,” he told the court.
So far, 34 bodies and 102 body parts have been retrieved from Kwa Bi Nzaro. DNA samples have been collected from relatives of missing persons, while more than 50 witness statements have been recorded. A mapping exercise by the Survey of Kenya has marked suspected grave sites across a 400-acre radius.
The affidavit revealed that all four suspects lived in Shakahola with their families before escaping. Garama’s five children are now in a children’s home within Kilifi County. Mukonwe’s wife and three children are missing and believed to be dead. Kazungu’s wife, Dhahabu Kabwere Chea, is facing 238 manslaughter charges alongside Mackenzie in Mombasa, while their five children are also missing. Ms Anido’s husband is similarly suspected to have died from extreme fasting rituals.
“These suspects were adversely mentioned by witnesses in the Shakahola case; therefore, we intend to conduct an identification parade,” said Mr Yamina.
Prosecutors disclosed that after escaping and going into hiding, the suspects regrouped and revived their extreme teachings, which have already claimed dozens of lives at Bi Nzaro.
Morticians carry the remains of a person exhumed at Kwa Binzaro village within the vast Chakama Ranch in Kilifi County on August 28, 2025 as part of investigations into a suspected cult.
Recent searches at their residences uncovered 15 SIM cards, flash disks, a national identity card belonging to one of the victims, and a soiled jembe believed to have been used for burials. Investigators also recovered agreements linking the suspects to land where mass graves were found, as well as a sale agreement for a Boxer motorcycle (registration KMDD 554X) believed to have been used to ferry victims to the fasting site.
“The bodies were buried less than one foot from the ground. Many were eaten by wild animals,” Mr Yamina added, stressing that the shallow burials were a calculated attempt to conceal evidence.
Despite progress, police said the initial 51 days of detention had been insufficient. Bodies were scattered across vast tracts of forest, many decomposed beyond recognition, while wild animals disrupted recovery. Pending tasks include forensic radiology, autopsies, sorting of commingled remains, DNA profiling and cybercrime analysis of recovered phones and SIM cards.
Witnesses have also been traced across Busia, Vihiga, Kisumu, Siaya, Kisii, Homa Bay, Migori, Kilifi and Bungoma counties, requiring additional time for statements to be recorded.
Mr Yamina stressed that the continued detention of the suspects was necessary not only to secure evidence but also to safeguard lives.
“We are treating them as repeat offenders. They escaped from Shakahola after being rescued and regrouped at Kwa Bi Nzaro. They hold strong religious beliefs. For their own safety and that of the public, detention is the only viable option,” he said, adding that eight other suspects remain at large.
Inspector Nabonwe’s affidavit listed the offences under investigation as radicalisation under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA), facilitation of terrorism, organised criminal activity under the Prevention of Organised Crimes Act, and murder under the Penal Code.
It further noted that the rights of the suspects to liberty could lawfully be limited for their protection and that of the public, with the law permitting detention of up to 360 days in terrorism-related investigations.
“If released at this moment, there is a high likelihood that they could abscond, regroup and cause further damage to their followers who are still in the society,” said the State.
The State also noted that as a matter of national security, there is need for de-radicalisation, disengagement, rehabilitation and reintegration of the respondents whether or not they are charged.
As the investigations deepen, the Kwa Bi Nzaro tragedy is emerging as a grim extension of Shakahola, raising fresh concerns about Kenya’s vulnerability to religious extremism and underscoring the urgent need for de-radicalisation and rehabilitation of cult survivors.
