Shakahola deaths: Exhumations to resume after autopsies completion

President William Ruto has appointed a commission of inquiry into the Shakohola tragedy.

Piece by: MAGDALENE SAYA
News

• The exercise will however depend on weather conditions.

Detectives from the Homicide Unit lay bodies of people believed to be followers of controversial pastor Paul Mackenzie in Shakahola Magarini as exhuming process entered day three on April 23, 2023.
Image: File

Exhumation of bodies from Shakahola forest in Kilifi is expected to resume on Monday after the postmortem on 112 bodies earlier exhumed was completed.

Homicide detectives and pathologists are expected to return to the forest to exhume more bodies as an inquest into the mass killings continues.

Chief pathologist Johansen Oduor on Friday announced the first phase of the autopsies had been completed after conducting the final 12 at the Malindi Subcounty Hospital mortuary.

The exercise will however depend on weather conditions.

The postmortem indicated that the majority of the victims had died from starvation and some of them may have been strangled to death.

Already, President William Ruto has appointed a commission of inquiry into the Shakohola tragedy. 

In a gazette notice, the head of state said Lady Justice Jessie Lessit will chair the commission, together with sevens others. 

The members of the commission are Lady Justice Mary Kasango, Eric Gumbo, Bishop Catherine Mutua and Jonathan Lodompui. 

Others are Frank Njenga, Wanyama Musiambu and Albert Musasia. 

The commission will also inquire into the factors that lead to the rise of that particular religious extremist institution and other formations that fosters negative religion-based activities. 

Interior Ministry has gazetted Shakahola as a scene of crime and has said it will not allow even the Press to take pictures of the exhumation of bodies as the government will be sued for violating human rights.

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