NAIROBI: Autopsies on corpses found in mass graves linked to a Kenyan cult have revealed missing organs and raised suspicions of forced harvesting, investigators said on Tuesday (May 9) as another 21 bodies were found.
A total of 133 people have so far been confirmed dead in the so-called "Shakahola forest massacre" since the discovery of mass graves last month shocked the deeply religious Christian-majority country.
Police believe most of the bodies found near Malindi on Kenya's Indian Ocean coast were followers of self-styled pastor Paul Nthenge Mackenzie, who is accused of ordering them to starve to death "to meet Jesus".
While starvation appears to be the main cause of death, some of the victims - including children - were strangled, beaten, or suffocated, according to chief government pathologist Johansen Oduor.
Investigators said on Tuesday they believed more bodies would be found in coming days.
"We have 21 bodies exhumed today from nine graves, and this exercise will continue tomorrow," said regional commissioner Rhoda Onyancha. The latest exhumations took the overall toll to 133, she added.
Court documents filed on Monday said some of the corpses had their organs removed, with police alleging the suspects were engaged in forced harvesting of body parts.
"Post mortem reports have established missing organs in some of the bodies of victims who have been exhumed," chief inspector Martin Munene said in an affidavit filed to a Nairobi court.
It is "believed that trade on human body organs has been well coordinated involving several players", he said, giving no details about the suspected trafficking.
Munene said Ezekiel Odero, a high-profile televangelist who was arrested last month in connection with the same case and granted bail on Thursday, had received "huge cash transactions," allegedly from Mackenzie's followers who sold their property at the cult leader's bidding.
The Nairobi court ordered the authorities to freeze more than 20 bank accounts belonging to Odero for 30 days.