Kenya: Five Bodies Unearthed in New Suspected Cult Grave Site

Edited By: Widad WAHBI

Authorities in southeastern Kenya have uncovered at least five bodies from shallow graves believed to be linked to a religious cult, raising fears of yet another mass grave tragedy just two years after the Shakahola Forest massacre.

Excavations began this week in Kwa Binzaro village, on the outskirts of Malindi in Kilifi County, where investigators had identified 27 suspected burial sites. Government pathologist Dr. Richard Njoroge confirmed on Thursday that six graves were opened, yielding five bodies along with ten scattered human remains found on the surface. “We expect to find more graves as the search continues across the vast area,” Njoroge said.

Kenyan prosecutors warned last month that victims at the site may have died after being “starved and suffocated” under extreme religious practices. At least 11 suspects are currently under investigation.

Local residents told investigators that several children in the area remain unaccounted for, fueling suspicion of foul play and prompting the exhumations.

The case revives grim memories of 2023, when more than 400 bodies were exhumed from shallow graves in Shakahola Forest, in what became one of the deadliest cult-related tragedies in modern history.