A Kenyan sect leader, Pastor John Mackenzie Nthenge, who allegedly mandated his followers to embark on a marathon fast so as to meet with Jesus Christ, has been arrested after four of the members died in the process.
The Chief Criminal Investigations officer of Malindi sub-county, Charles Kamau, said on Saturday that Mackenzie was arrested after he had earlier escaped arrest following a report about the death of the four victims and 11 others who were in critical conditions.
Kamau said the sect leader, who is the founder of Good News International Church, had reportedly instructed his members to starve themselves in order to “meet Jesus” and to avoid “apocalyptic damnation”.
“The pastor is under arrest after he surrendered because he knew we were looking for him,” said Kamau.
“He was taken into custody, ahead of a court appearance scheduled for Monday,” Kamau added.
The county police had, on Friday, raided a forest near the town of Malindi where Mackenzie has his enclave, and discovered a mass grave where it is believed many of the controversial pastor’s followers who died in mysterious circumstances were buried.
Police said its operatives raided the forest on the Kenyan coast after receiving reports of “ignorant citizens starving to death under the pretext of meeting Jesus after being brainwashed by a suspect, Makenzie Nthenge, a pastor of Good News International Church.”
“The four dead have not yet been identified. The 11 taken to hospital were seven men and four women aged between 17 and 49.
“Investigators have continue their search in the Shakahola forest on Saturday.
“It is further suspected that there are many victims in the forest land believed to belong to the suspect,” the police report said.