Cessation of exhumation at Kenya's doomsday cult site for DNA samples on 34 corpses temporarily

The Chakama Ranch in Kilifi County, a vast forested area, has once again been linked to disturbing activities, as a multi-agency team works to uncover the causes of a series of deaths. The latest discoveries have seen the unearthing of 34 more bodies and over 100 body parts, bringing the total number of victims to over 430.

The suspects, who had previously rented mud huts on the isolated ranch, are currently in custody, with eleven of them facing potential charges for their alleged involvement in the cult activities. A woman's complaint over the deaths of her children led to the initial arrest of the suspects.

Police Inspector General Douglas Kanja has confirmed the involvement of the multi-agency team, which includes the police, government pathologists, and the German Red Cross, in the investigation. The team is working tirelessly to understand the circumstances surrounding the deaths, many of which are believed to be linked to conflict, disaster, flight, displacement, or migration situations.

The majority of the missing and likely deceased persons are from Afghanistan, Ukraine, Syria, Iraq, and Somalia. In 2024, the German Red Cross registered 2,391 newly missing persons under international search efforts. It is still unclear how many people have been reported missing in the Chakama Ranch area.

The Chakama Ranch's remote location poses challenges for law enforcement, with police presence in the area not as strong as in major towns. This has compromised the effectiveness of law enforcement efforts, making it easier for the suspects to operate in seclusion.

Pastor Paul Mackenzie, who was charged with murder after over 400 bodies were exhumed from the ranch two years ago, remains in custody. The postmortem examinations on the latest batch of bodies will begin once X-rays have been completed, according to government pathologist Richard Njoroge.

Investigations are also ongoing into the regrouping of former cult members, as well as the transfers of money to the suspects' phones, which police suspect were used to fund the cult operations.

Kanja admitted that the Chakama Ranch is "huge" and called for collaboration to strengthen surveillance and bring those responsible for the deaths to justice. The Chakama Ranch, home to the Good News International Church in the Shakahola area, has a long history of being associated with cult activities.

The latest exhumations took place about 2 kilometres (1.5 miles) from the Good News International Church. The exhumations at the site where the bodies of over 400 cult followers were found two years ago have been suspended for DNA analysis. The investigations into the cult activities on the Chakama Ranch continue.