At least eight female bodies have been recovered so far from a dumpsite in a slum in Kenya’s capital Nairobi.
Kenyan police confirmed on Sunday the shocking discovery of the eight female bodies recovered from a dumpsite in the Mukuru area of Nairobi, with investigations ongoing to determine if the killings are linked to cults, serial killers, or rogue medical practitioners.
The bodies were found in plastic bags and had visible signs of torture and mutilation.
Kenya’s acting national police chief Douglas Kanja said the first six corpses were found on Friday and more body parts were retrieved on Saturday, with preliminary investigations revealing that all were female.
“They were severely dismembered in different states of decomposition and left in sacks,” Kanja told a press conference, adding that investigations were ongoing.
Kanja also called for public cooperation “so that we bring the perpetrators of these heinous acts to book”.
Amin Mohammed, the head of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, said the ages of the victims ranged between about 18 to 30 and that all had been killed and butchered in the same manner.
He said police were looking into a number of hypotheses.
“Are we dealing with a cult that is associated with criminal activities, are we dealing with serial killers,” he said at the press briefing alongside Kanja.
“We even could be dealing with rogue medical practitioners (involved in) criminal activities.”
Last year, Kenya was rocked by the grim discovery of mass graves in a forest near the Indian Ocean coast, revealing the bodies of over 400 members of a doomsday sect in what became one of the world’s deadliest cult-related massacres.
On Monday, self-proclaimed pastor Paul Nthenge Mackenzie and 94 co-defendants faced trial on terrorism charges linked to the deaths.
Mackenzie stands accused of inciting followers to starve themselves to death to supposedly meet Jesus. The defendants also face charges including murder, manslaughter, and child cruelty in other cases related to the “Shakahola forest massacre”.
Meanwhile, Kenya’s Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA) announced it was investigating potential police involvement in the Mukuru case. The bodies found, showing signs of torture and mutilation, were discovered near a police station, raising questions about law enforcement’s role.
The IPOA is also probing reports of missing individuals following violent anti-government protests last month. Despite the proximity to the dumpsite, no connection has been made between the missing persons and the dumped bodies.
Kenya’s law enforcement agencies have come under intense scrutiny following the deaths of dozens of people during the demonstrations, with allegations of excessive use of force by officers. George Kanja recently assumed the role of police chief after his predecessor’s resignation amidst public outcry over the protest-related deaths.
According to Kenya’s National Rights Commission, the unrest resulted in 39 fatalities and over 630 injuries earlier this month, underscoring the volatile situation and widespread public concern.
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