The leader of a Kenyan ‘hunger cult’ was brought to court on Wednesday with thirty of his closest followers in the Kenyan coastal town of Malindi. The Public Prosecution Service accuses him of being responsible for 430 deaths.
Before the actual trial can begin, the cult leader and his followers will undergo psychiatric examination over the next two weeks. Security measures around the court were tightened on Wednesday.
95 suspects in proceedings
The Public Prosecution Service announced on Tuesday that it has charged a total of 95 people in connection with the so-called Shakahola massacre. The leader of the sect and his key followers will stand trial in Malindi; the trial of the sect members accused of lesser crimes will take place in two other courts.
Last spring, research by concerned relatives revealed that members of the sect in the remote forest area of Shakahola needed to ‘get closer to Jesus’ through strict fasting. The sect leader is said to have banned contact with family members outside the sect and did not allow children to go to school or work, causing the believers to live in complete isolation.
Mass graves discovered
When researchers visited the area, they found mass graves and half-starved followers of the sect. The full extent of the deaths in the inaccessible area was only revealed after weeks of excavations. The Public Prosecution Service says it wants to file charges including murder, terrorism and crimes against children.
Source: Krone
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