Police exhume five bodies in Kwa Binzaro cult probe
Coast
By
Marion Kithi
| Aug 22, 2025
5 bodies have been exhumed at the kwa binzaro area in Kilifi county.Exercise continues. [ Marion Kithi/Standard]
Five bodies believed to be followers of an offshoot of the outlawed Good News International (GNI) were on Thursday exhumed from shallow graves in Kwa Binzaro village, Malindi, Kilifi County.
Government pathologist Dr Richard Njoroge said 10 human body parts were also recovered, scattered in nearby thickets close to the site of the 2023 Shakahola massacre.
The exhumation exercise, led by homicide detectives, forensic experts and pathologists, also uncovered 27 mass graves, raising fears that more bodies could be buried in the area.
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“We had 27 suspected graves, but today we managed to exhume six graves where we retrieved five bodies. We also found 10 different body parts scattered on the surface,” said Dr Njoroge.
The bodies are suspected to be of the followers of a cult linked to 11 suspects, some followers of Paul Makenzi, that were rescued from the Shakahola Forest in 2023.
Eleven people, police say, have links to the latest cult and are under investigation for their alleged involvement in organised crime, radicalisation, aiding terrorism and murder.
They are Jairus Otieno, his wife Lilian Akinyi, Kahonzi Katana, Loice Zawadi, Safari Nzai, Karisa Fondo, Gona Charo, Kahindi Kazungu, Thomas Mukonwe, James Kahindi and Sharleen Temba.
Activities of the cult came to the limelight after Otieno’s six family members reportedly died, sparking a dispute with his wife, who later reported the matter to the police.
Earlier, Kilifi County Criminal Investigation Officer Robert Kiinge said Otieno, Akinyi and their six children had been reported missing in Siaya County.
Kiinge said that the police believe that among those who perished are the six children.
“We interrogated them, and the wife opened up and narrated how the children died, starting with the last born, who was about a year and a-half-old,” Kiinge said.
The DCIO said the deaths occurred between March and July 2025. The village is within Chakama Ranch, encompassing the Shakahola area, where over 400 people starved to death in 2023.
On Thursday, Dr Njoroge said the exercise to retrieve the bodies buried in the five-acre plot that belongs to the key suspect, Sharleen Temba, will continue today (Friday).
“We expect to find more graves.We are appealing to the members of the public who may have lost their loved ones to report to Malindi Sub-County Hospital,” said Dr Njoroge.
He said members of the family who have lost their loved ones will be requested to have DNA samples taken so that the bodies can be identified.
“After this exercise, we shall embark on the postmortem and DNA identification along with the purpose of matching with families,” said Dr Njoroge.
Yesterday, Kilifi County Commissioner Josphat Biwott said the area was a crime scene and urged members of the public to stay away.
Walid Sketty of Vocal Africa called on the government to expedite the process to give the families who have lost their loved one closure.
He has also asked families of victims to come out and record their statements.