Four people suspected to be part of a controversial cult have been found dead after being told by their leader to starve themselves in a bid to "meet Jesus".
Another 11 people were rescued from a forest near the town of Malindi in southeastern Kenya and were taken to the hospital for treatment.
Kenyan police are now searching for the alleged cult leader, Pastor Makenzie Nthenge, who is suspected to have told his followers to starve themselves so that they could get to heaven quickly.
Following a tip-off from a concerned resident, officers rushed to Shakahola forest in Langobaya where they found 15 people participating in the excessive fasting practice - but only 11 arrived at the hospital alive.
The local also alleged that there was a shallow mass grave within the forest containing at least 31 people believed to be followers of Nthenge.
A police report said cops received a tip-off about "ignorant citizens starving to death under the pretext of meeting Jesus after being brainwashed by a suspect, Makenzie Nthenge, a pastor of Good News International Church."
The police report said: "A contingent under the command of SCPC and SCCIO Malindi visited the scene for fact-finding. The team was able to reach few households and managed to rescue fifteen people among them six who were emaciated.
"Medics from Malindi Sub-County Hospital were called in to assist in the evacuation."
Four of the victims, who have not been officially identified yet, died due to starvation while doctors tried to attend to them.
The 11 survivors - including seven men and four women aged between 17 and 49 - have been admitted to Malindi Sub-County Hospital, where three of them are said to be in critical condition.
Police have not yet been able to establish if a mass grave actually exists in the forest or not due to its vastness and the reported hostility of some residents.
The report added: "The team were unable to identify the mass grave by virtue of vast land (area) and hostile residents in the forest.
"It is further suspected that there are many victims in the forest land believed to belong to the suspect."
According to local media reports, Nthenge was arrested and charged last month after two children were allegedly starved to death by their parents.
The pastor, whose current whereabouts are not known, had pleaded not guilty and was released on bail.
The predominant religion in Kenya is Christianity and in 2019, approximately 85.5% of the population followed the religion, according to the 2021 Report on International Religious Freedom.
Around 11% of the population identified as Muslim in 2019 and there were also minorities including Hindus, Sikhs, Baha’is.
