A second Shakahola massacre suspect has died while undergoing treatment, the Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Jami Yamina has confirmed.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) in a statement on Monday, September 9 said that Jami Yamina confirmed the demise of Edison Safari Munyambo alias Baba Sifa who died a few days ago at a Mombasa hospital where she was undergoing treatment after a short illness.
She is the second accused person to die in custody after Mary Charo Mbita, who died at Coast Teaching and Referral Hospital.
The deceased duo is part of 95 accused persons charged with 283 counts of manslaughter before Mombasa Chief Magistrate Alex Ithuku.
“The accused persons led by the prime mastermind, Paul Nthege Mackenzie are also facing several charges including torture and cruelty against children, violation of basic education act, terrorism, radicalization, being members of terrorism group and murder,” read part of the statement.
Assistant DPP Yamina stated that the case should proceed while the court awaits the official confirmation document.
Shakahola suspect dies
He indicated that once the court is briefed accordingly, the case against the deceased suspect can be marked as abated.
The suspect’s demise comes after another follower of the suspected Kilifi cult leader Paul Mackenzie died in June 2023, while two others were admitted to hospital in critical condition.
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The State told the court that Joseph Juma Buyuka died while receiving treatment at the Malindi hospital.
“We suspect the deceased died from complications associated with a hunger strike. We can only wait for post-mortem to ascertain the cause of death,” said Senior Prosecution Counsel Jami Yamina.
Buyuka was among the 30 Mackenzie followers who were relocated to prison after staging a hunger strike while in police custody.
The court heard that the deceased was taken from Malindi GK prison to the Malindi hospital, after his health deteriorated, where he died while undergoing treatment.
Also Read: Blow to Ruto as Court Rules on Shakahola Commission of Inquiry
Assitant DPP Yamina further told Shanzu Senior Principal Magistrate Yussuf Shikanda that two other suspects, Evans Kolombe Sirya and Frederick Karimi, had been admitted to the hospital in critical condition.
Bodies Discovered
In April 2023, following a missing-person report filed by a man whose wife and daughter had left their home to join a church owned by preacher Paul Mackenzie, police raided Mackenzie’s 800-acre commune in Shakahola forest on Kenya’s coast and discovered mass graves.
They discovered bodies in the forest leading to the arrest of pastor Paul Mackenzie who is alleged to have led his followers to starve themselves to death in order “to meet Jesus”.
Mackenzie has pleaded not guilty to 191 counts of murder, manslaughter and terrorism. He has also been charged with child torture and cruelty.
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