Another Kenyan pastor accused of 'mass killing of his followers'
1 year, 7 months ago

Another Kenyan pastor accused of 'mass killing of his followers'

The Hindu  

April 27, 2023 08:02 pm | Updated 08:02 pm IST - Nairobi Kenya on Thursday said that one of the country's highest-profile pastors would face charges over the "mass killing of his followers" just days after the discovery of dozens of bodies linked to another church. Ezekiel Odero, the head of the New Life Prayer Centre and Church, "has been arrested and is being processed to face criminal charges related to the mass killing of his followers," Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki said in a statement. Odero's arrest comes on the heels of an ongoing investigation into Paul Mackenzie Nthenge, the cult leader accused of the deaths of 98 people linked to his church. A wealthy televangelist who draws huge crowds — his church south of Malindi can seat 40,000 — Odero claims that "holy" scraps of cloth sold at his mega-rallies can heal sickness.

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History of this topic

Kenya doomsday cult leader found guilty of illegal filming, but yet to be charged over mass deaths
1 year, 1 month ago

Kenya doomsday cult leader found guilty of illegal filming, but yet to be charged over mass deaths

LA Times  

Kenya’s cult preacher Paul Nthenge Mackenzie of the Good News International church, foreground, arrives at the Shanzu Law Courts under tight security, in Mombasa, Kenya, on Oct. 12. Paul Mackenzie, the Kenyan preacher at the center of a doomsday cult in the country that led to the deaths of more than 400 people, was on Friday found guilty of operating …

Kenya doomsday cult deaths top 400 as a dozen more bodies are exhumed
1 year, 5 months ago

Kenya doomsday cult deaths top 400 as a dozen more bodies are exhumed

LA Times  

Body bags are laid out at the scene where dozens of bodies were found in shallow graves in southern Kenya on April 24. The number of people who died in connection with a Kenyan doomsday cult has surpassed 400 as detectives exhumed 12 more bodies believed to be followers of a pastor who ordered them to fast to death in …

Religious leader linked to Kenya starvation cult says court hearing is a ‘matter of intimidation’
1 year, 6 months ago

Religious leader linked to Kenya starvation cult says court hearing is a ‘matter of intimidation’

CNN  

Mombasa, Kenya CNN — The leader of a Christian cult who has been accused of encouraging his followers to starve themselves appeared in court in Mombasa, Kenya on Friday, telling CNN afterwards that the hearing is a “matter of intimidation” and time-wasting. Paul Nthenge Mackenzie was arrested last month after police received a tipoff that his land on the Shakahola …

Kenya Christian death cult: Children targeted to die first, death toll crosses 200
1 year, 7 months ago

Kenya Christian death cult: Children targeted to die first, death toll crosses 200

Op India  

Search teams investigating Christian doomsday cult in Kenya have so far excavated 201 dead bodies from Shakahola forest close to the coastal town of Malindi in the country. In a startling admission, Titus Katana, a peanut vendor who joined the Good News Church in 2015 and advanced to the position of deputy pastor, stated that children died first and were …

Kenya cult death toll hits 200, with more than 600 reported missing
1 year, 7 months ago

Kenya cult death toll hits 200, with more than 600 reported missing

LA Times  

Kenyan preacher Paul Mackenzie, center, was arrested two weeks ago for asking his followers to starve to death in order to meet Jesus. The death toll linked to a doomsday cult in Kenya hit 201 Saturday after police exhumed 22 more bodies, most of them bearing signs of starvation, according to the coast regional commissioner. Coast regional commissioner Rhoda Onyancha …

Kenyan pastor suspected in cult deaths to remain jailed
1 year, 7 months ago

Kenyan pastor suspected in cult deaths to remain jailed

Associated Press  

NAIROBI, Kenya — A court in Kenya on Friday gave police five more days to hold a pastor facing possible terror-related charges in the deaths of more than 100 his congregants, many of whom are believed to have starved to death. On Thursday, a court said Odero could be released from jail if he posted a bond in the amount …

Kenyan court sets bail for pastor in parishioner death probe
1 year, 7 months ago

Kenyan court sets bail for pastor in parishioner death probe

Associated Press  

NAIROBI, Kenya — A court in Kenya ruled Thursday that one of two pastors under investigation for the deaths of more than 100 of their congregants, many of whom are believed to have starved to death, could be released on bond or bail. Pastor Ezekiel Odero was arrested last week in connection with the deaths of dozens of his congregants …

Kenyan pastors appear in court over deaths of parishioners
1 year, 7 months ago

Kenyan pastors appear in court over deaths of parishioners

Associated Press  

NAIROBI, Kenya — Two pastors based in coastal Kenya have appeared in court over the deaths of more than 100 of their congregants, many of whom are believed to have starved to death. Mackenzie was first arrested two weeks ago over links to cultism for asking his followers to starve to death in order to meet Jesus. The higher court …

Kenya cult starvation deaths reach 110 as preacher says 'Starve yourselves in order to meet Jesus'
1 year, 7 months ago

Kenya cult starvation deaths reach 110 as preacher says 'Starve yourselves in order to meet Jesus'

India TV News  

Kenya cult deaths: In a shocking incident, police exhumed at least 110 bodies near the coastal town of Kenya's Malindi after villagers complained against a preacher for practising a religious "cult" wherein people were lured to starve till death. According to the police, the preacher, Paul Mackenzie Nthenge, asked their followers to push themselves into starvation in order "to meet …

Religious leader linked to Kenya starvation case to face ‘possible terrorism charges’
1 year, 7 months ago

Religious leader linked to Kenya starvation case to face ‘possible terrorism charges’

CNN  

CNN — Paul Mackenzie Nthenge, the leader of a religious group linked to dozens of deaths in eastern Kenya, could face “possible terrorism charges,” according to his lawyer George Kariuki. Mackenzie appeared in court on Tuesday, where “he was released unconditionally and then rearrested … on possible terrorism charges,” Kariuki told CNN. At least 109 bodies have been retrieved from …

Children account for majority of Kenyan cult deaths
1 year, 7 months ago

Children account for majority of Kenyan cult deaths

The Hindu  

Children account for most of the 109 bodies so far recovered in mass graves linked to a cult in Kenya, the interior minister said on Friday, the latest details in a case that has shocked the country and prompted calls for tighter regulation of religious fringe groups. Followers of the Good News International Church near the coastal town of Malindi …

Another Kenyan pastor arrested over deaths of followers
1 year, 7 months ago

Another Kenyan pastor arrested over deaths of followers

Associated Press  

NAIROBI, Kenya — Police in Kenya arrested another popular pastor on the country’s Indian Ocean coast as the number of deaths linked to a cult in the area rose to 103 on Thursday. Pastor Ezekiel Odero “is being processed to face criminal charges related to mass killing of his followers,” according to a statement by Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki. Odero’s …

Kenya arrests second pastor to face criminal charges ‘related to mass killing of his followers’
1 year, 7 months ago

Kenya arrests second pastor to face criminal charges ‘related to mass killing of his followers’

CNN  

CNN — Kenyan authorities on Thursday arrested another prominent televangelist, to face criminal charges “related to mass killing of his followers.” Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki said Ezekiel Ombok Odero, who pastors the New Life Prayer Church in Mavueni, Kilifi County, announced the arrest on Twitter, but did not give further detail on the allegations against Odero. “The said Church has …

Kenya cult deaths hits 90 as authorities expand operation
1 year, 7 months ago

Kenya cult deaths hits 90 as authorities expand operation

Associated Press  

NAIROBI, Kenya — The death toll at a ranch in coastal Kenya that is owned by a pastor who is accused of leading a religious cult and ordering his followers to starve themselves reached 90 on Tuesday, as the country’s interior minister announced an expanded operation at the site. Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki said that the security team will “upscale …

Kenyan cult deaths at 73, president likens them to terrorism
1 year, 7 months ago

Kenyan cult deaths at 73, president likens them to terrorism

Associated Press  

NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenyan President William Ruto on Monday compared the dozens of starvation deaths among the followers of a pastor in the south of the country with the results of terrorist acts, as the new death toll rose to 73. The total death toll now stands at 73, with 26 new bodies exhumed on Monday, Malindi sub-county police chief …

39 bodies dug up in cult investigation of pastor in Kenya
1 year, 8 months ago

39 bodies dug up in cult investigation of pastor in Kenya

The Hindu  

Thirty-nine bodies have been found so far on land owned by a pastor in coastal Kenya who was arrested for telling his followers to fast to death. Malindi sub-county police chief John Kemboi said that more shallow graves have yet to be dug up on the land belonging to pastor Paul Makenzi, who was arrested on April 14 over links …

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