Four devout Christians starve to death from extreme fasting while “waiting to see Jesus” in a Kenyan forest after being brainwashed by a preacher

Four devout Christians have died in Kenya after starving themselves when a pastor brainwashed them into thinking they were meeting their Maker, police said.

About 15 “radicalized” Kenyan Christians were rescued by the police on Friday. Only four parishioners died during the rescue mission.

All 15 were members of the Good News International Church in the Kilifi Coast area and were brainwashed by a pastor called Makenzie Nthenge.

Police said 11 survived was rescued from a forest near the town of Malindi on Kenya’s Indian Ocean coast and taken to hospital. More victims are feared.

Kenyan police later announced they had launched a manhunt for the local cult leader following the deaths of four followers he allegedly told to starve himself to “meet Jesus”.

The police apparently became aware of the brainwashing after receiving a tip from radicalized Christians who were starving to death under the pretense that they were on their way to Jesus.

“Four of them died during the recovery of the victims,” ​​the police said in an incident report.

Police are investigating reports of additional victims, the report said.

“They starved to death after being radicalized by a certain member of a church who told them their work in this world was done… .

The four dead believers have yet to be identified, while seven men and four women who were taken to hospital are between the ages of 17 and 49, according to the police report. Three remain in critical condition.

Investigators continued to search the Shakahola Forest following reports of a mass grave that may have buried other cult members.

“The team could not identify the mass grave due to the enormous land (area) and hostile inhabitants in the forest,” the police report said.

“In addition, it is suspected that there are many victims in the forest area, who are believed to belong to the suspect.”

Police were reportedly told that radicalized Christians were starving to death under the pretense that they were on their way to meet Jesus (file photo).

According to media reports, Nthenge was arrested and charged last month after two children were allegedly starved to death by their parents, but was later released on bail of 100,000 Kenyan shillings (about £600).

In an affidavit dated March 23, the police said the parents starved and suffocated the two boys on Nthenge’s advice.

The police urged the judge to arrest Nthenge because he may be in danger himself because he “killed a lot of people,” saying “under the pretext that they will go to heaven (if) they die of hunger.” it in the affidavit.

At the hearing in the case, Nthenge said he was unaware of the events that led to the death of the two boys, adding that he had been the target of hostile propaganda from some of his former colleagues, The Standard newspaper reported.

The judge released him on bail.