Kenyan authorities have launched an investigation into a suspected new case of religious radicalisation in Chakama, Kilifi County, following the discovery of two human skulls and the body of an unidentified man, along with the rescue of four individuals believed to have been held under cult-like conditions.
In a statement issued Tuesday, the Ministry of Interior confirmed that security officers are conducting an operation on a remote five-acre homestead in Binzaro village after a tip-off from members of the public regarding suspicious religious practices.
Among those rescued were a 50-year-old man reported missing at Siaya Police Station on April 15, his 40-year-old wife, and two other women aged 40 and 19. Preliminary assessments suggest the individuals may have been subjected to radical religious teachings while confined to the compound.
“The rescued individuals are now under protective custody as investigators pursue leads into possible cult activity,” the Interior Ministry said. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Malindi has applied for a court warrant to conduct a full forensic search of the property.
Authorities also recovered two human skulls and a freshly deceased adult male body from a nearby thicket. The identity of the deceased and the circumstances surrounding the deaths remain unclear.
A key suspect believed to be behind the suspected cult is in police custody, although their identity has not been disclosed. Three other individuals, described as property managers, were also arrested. Additionally, three more people have been detained in relation to the sale of the land to the suspect, amid questions over the legality of the transaction.
In a chilling twist, the rescued man and his wife were reportedly among the victims saved during the infamous 2023 Shakahola cult operation but later disappeared. According to a family member, the couple had fled their home in Siaya County in March with their six children, aged between 1 and 15, and were last seen heading back to Kilifi.
Part of Chakama includes the Shakahola forest, the epicenter of a horrific cult massacre in 2023, in which over 450 bodies were exhumed from shallow graves. The incident, linked to Pastor Paul Mackenzie of the Good News International Church, shocked the nation and sparked widespread calls for tighter regulation of religious groups. Mackenzie remains in custody facing multiple charges, including murder and terrorism-related offenses.
This latest incident has raised fresh fears of resurgent cult activity in Kilifi, with authorities vowing to crack down on radical religious movements exploiting vulnerable individuals.
Investigations are ongoing.
Written By Rodney Mbua
