Some of the more than one hundred victims of an extreme cult cult in Kenya have apparently had their organs removed. This was reported by chief investigator Martin Munene in an affidavit, citing the previous autopsies. According to the statement filed with the competent court in Nairobi on Monday, Munene assumes a "well-organized organ trade" in which "several actors" were involved.

In a wooded area near the coastal town of Malindi, mass graves with suspected followers of the Christian sect International Church of Good News were discovered last month. So far, 112 bodies have been exhumed, but the search for more victims should resume on Tuesday after a forced break due to bad weather.

According to the investigations so far, a large part of the victims had starved themselves to death at the behest of cult leader Paul Nthenge Mackenzie "to meet Jesus". Some victims were also strangled, beaten to death or suffocated, according to chief pathologist Johansen Oduor. Among them were several children.

Sect leader Mackenzie was imprisoned, and the televangelist Ezekiel Odero, who was also arrested in connection with the "massacre in the forest of Shakahola", was released last week on bail of 1.5 million Kenyan shillings (about 10,000 euros). Chief investigator Munene accused the influential preacher of receiving "huge amounts of cash." They are said to have come from Mackenzie's followers, who had sold their entire fortune on the orders of the cult leader.

The court in Nairobi ordered the authorities to freeze 20 bank accounts owned by preacher Odero for an initial period of 30 days.