Detectives in Malindi on Wednesday discovered 12 shallow graves in their probe intensified into the activities of Pastor Paul Mackenzie, who is believed to be leading a doomsday cult.

Officers at the Shakahola forest worship site used by the Pastor Mackenzie church also rescued four people, who included a woman who had made distress calls.

The woman, who is currently being treated in hospital, had made frantic calls for help and attracted the attention of officers nearby who found her emaciated deep in the forest.

Detectives at the site in Malindi believe some of the adherents possibly flattened some graves to obscure them even as police prepared to exhume bodies from the 12 graves.

Bodies in the 12 shallow graves are believed to belong to adherents of Pastor Mackenzie’s Good News International Church who died while fasting believing they will encounter God.

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Police officers from Malindi, who are processing the scene, already started mapping out the area where the shallow graves were discovered to also establish if there are more bodies.

The 800-acre land is believed to harbor more shallow graves of followers of the cultic church with the police set to exhume the bodies to assist with their investigation and identification.

Police say 10 members of the cultic church died while tens are being treated after they were allegedly directed by Pastor mackenzie to starve themselves to death in a bid to meet God.

The controversial clergyman is currently being detained in cells at the Malindi Police Station as police continue with their investigation to firm up charges to be preferred against him.

PHOTO/KNA

The court in Malindi on Monday directed that the controversial preacher remains in police custody for 14 more days to allow police sufficient time for conclude their investigation.

Appearing before Malindi Chief Magistrate Elizabeth Usui, Pastor Paul Nthenge Makenzi was not needed to take plea to any charge as the prosecution sought 30 more days to hold him.

Mackenzie will be held in custody for 14 days alongside six of his followers while seven alleged victims who refused to eat while in cells, will be held for seven days for counselling.