Graves Discovered After Public Tip-Off

Homicide detectives exhumed shallow graves at a homestead in Kwa Binzaro village on August 11, following a tip-off from residents who reported seeing scattered human remains. The village lies just a few kilometers from the infamous Shakahola Forest, the site of a 2023 doomsday cult tragedy.

Fresh Human Remains Found

Out of the seven graves identified, four were located on a five-acre plot already under investigation. Detectives uncovered fresh bones with ligaments still attached, suggesting the deaths occurred recently—between March and July 2025.

Starvation and Suffocation Suspected

Kilifi County Criminal Investigation Officer Robert Kiinge reported that early investigations point to starvation and suffocation as potential causes of death. The victims were buried in polythene bags, and vegetables were planted above the graves, likely to conceal the burial sites.

Legal and Forensic Actions Underway

A court has granted detectives 30 days to exhume the bodies for post-mortem examinations, DNA tests, and toxicological analyses. Investigators are finalizing preparations to carry out the exhumations within the legal timeframe.

Link to Religious Extremism and Previous Cult Case

Kwa Binzaro is located within Chakama Ranch, which also includes Shakahola Forest—the site where over 400 followers of Pastor Paul Mackenzie’s Good News International Church reportedly died after being instructed to fast to death. Mackenzie and 93 others are facing charges in connection to those deaths. Eleven suspects linked to the Kwa Binzaro incident are currently charged with organized crime, radicalization, aiding terrorism, and murder.