Pathologists and detectives have completed the second phase of postmortems for the bodies of followers of the controversial Preacher Paul Mackenzie who died after starving to death so as to meet God.
This paves the way for the third round of exhumations set to resume Tuesday next week.
Government Chief Pathologist Johansen Oduor said they had so far done 243 autopsies.
Addressing journalists during the end of the second phase at the Malindi Sub County Hospital mortuary, Oduor said out of the 16 bodies that were remaining six were male while nine were female but they could not ascertain the gender of one body due to the level of decomposition.
“Adults were 11, Children were 4, one of them also we were unable to determine the age because of the state of the body,” he said.
Oduor said one of the bodies was very fresh since the victim died in hospital after being rescued but they established he had died of kidney failure.
He said the victim died after staying in hospital for a week adding that he had been admitted with severe dehydration and malnutrition.
“While in hospital he refused to eat totally until he passed on and we found out the cause of death was kidney failure which has been caused by dehydration,” he said.
He said 13 bodies were severely decomposed while two were moderately decomposed.
The pathologist said 10 of the victims died as a result of starvation but they were unable to know the cause of death of five others because of the level of decomposition.
“So far we have done a total of 243 bodies from the time we started the autopsies which on the 1st of this month up to date,” he said.
Oduor said most of the bodies they did autopsies on were male adults.
He said they intend to start the third phase of exhumation next week on Tuesday.
Francis Auma Rapid Response officer MUHURI who is in Malindi said they have been monitoring the operation and so far, they are happy with the progress.
In a telephone interview, he said at least the Human rights group have been allowed access to the process and hopes justice will prevail for the affected families.
“What we want is speedy investigations so that the Shakahola tragedy is concluded as it was too much to the families affected,” he said.
Auma said they want restoration of the Shakahola forest so as to ensure the country remembers the massacre even for the future generation.
