In an ongoing investigation into a doomsday cult in Kenya, authorities have uncovered a staggering total of 403 bodies from the Shakahola forest, with 12 additional bodies discovered recently. The disturbing find is linked to the Good News International Church, where hundreds of followers are suspected to have met grim fates, either starving themselves, suffering severe beatings, or being strangled within the forest’s depths in south-eastern Kenya.
The cult’s leader, Paul Mackenzie, reportedly preached that the world’s end was imminent and allegedly manipulated his devotees into believing that fasting until death would allow them to witness the arrival of Jesus. Despite these harrowing revelations, Mr. Mackenzie has not yet faced formal charges related to the tragic events.
As authorities continue their painstaking investigation, the scale of the tragedy and the manipulation of the cult’s followers raise profound questions about the dangers posed by extremist ideologies and the vulnerability of those ensnared by them.