The leader of a western Kenyan cult was wanted on Friday after the death of four worshipers who he allegedly told to fast to "
meet Jesus
", police said.
Eleven others have been hospitalized, three of them in critical condition, after being rescued from Shakahola Forest near the town of Malindi.
Police fear that other victims are yet to be discovered.
Possible mass grave
In a report seen by AFP, police said they received reports on Thursday of "
ignorant citizens starving to death on the pretext of meeting Jesus after being brainwashed by a suspect, Makenzie Nthenge, pastor of the 'Good News International Church
'.
On Friday, “
when our agents went to the forest, they found 15 people but unfortunately four of them died (...).
The others are in hospital
”, detailed Charles Kamau, officer in charge of criminal investigations in Malindi sub-county.
The four deceased faithful have not yet been identified.
The eleven taken to hospital are seven men and four women aged between 17 and 49, according to the police report.
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Investigators were continuing their search in Shakahola Forest, with reports pointing to a possible mass grave where other followers may be buried.
“
The team was unable to identify the mass grave due to the vast terrain and hostile inhabitants in the forest.
It is suspected that there are numerous victims in the forest lands belonging to the suspect
,” the police report said.
According to local media, Makenzie Nthenge was arrested and charged last month after two children died of starvation in the care of their parents.
He was then released on bail of 100,000 Kenyan shillings (about 670 euros).
