Kilifi Authorities to Exhume Suspected Cult Graves at Binzaro Homestead

A harrowing investigation is underway in Kilifi County as authorities probe a suspected cult operating at the Binzaro homestead in Chakama. 

Acting on a court order obtained by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) from Malindi Resident Magistrate Irene Thamara, preparations are being made to exhume several suspected shallow graves on the property. The renewed fears of cult-related deaths emerged following the discovery of Samwel Owino Okello Owuoyo's body, a casual labourer from Ndhiwa in Homa Bay County. 

Owuoyo, who had been living in Busia, disappeared earlier this month during the school mid-term break, reportedly telling his family he was travelling for work with his two sons. His brother, Paul Otieno, identified his body in Malindi after a missing person report was filed in Busia, raising grave concerns about his presence in Kilifi. The investigation deepened with the revelation that Jairus Otieno and Lilian Akinyi, rescued from the same homestead, had been reported missing from Siaya County with their six children. 

Investigators now fear that all six children may have died, with Jairus reportedly informing police that his children were buried within the compound. This claim is supported by an affidavit filed in court. Sources indicate that the couple had been ostracised from the cult community and were living in makeshift accommodation after a disagreement with its leadership.

Forensic teams have marked four suspected gravesites on the five-acre property, although officials believe there may be more. Kilifi County Criminal Investigation Officer Robert Kiinge confirmed that the exhumation operation is imminent, involving a multidisciplinary team of pathologists, morticians, forensic experts, and public health officers. The operation is expected to last up to two weeks, limited by the court order's expiry date.

The cult's practices, as recounted by survivors and investigators, bear striking similarities to the 2023 Shakahola massacre, where over 430 bodies were recovered from mass graves. That tragedy was linked to preacher Paul Mackenzie, who allegedly encouraged followers to fast to death for spiritual salvation. The Binzaro case appears to reflect a similar pattern, with victims allegedly subjected to extreme starvation and isolation. 

Investigators describe a "prayer room" within the compound, considered sacred, allegedly served as the final stage in a ritualistic process leading to death. Bodies were reportedly wrapped in plastic sheets and buried in shallow pits. The recurrence of such incidents has ignited criticism from human rights advocates who argue that the government has failed to address the underlying causes of cultism following the Shakahola tragedy. 

Hussein Khalid, Executive Director of Vocal Africa, expressed alarm, saying: "It is indeed shocking that we have another Shakahola about two years after the first one happened. The government did not take the necessary steps to understand the root cause."

The unfolding crisis places renewed strain on the Malindi Sub-County Hospital, which is already managing a backlog of unclaimed bodies from the Shakahola case.