In brief
Carolyne Odour's two young sons have been missing for two months after their father, a follower of a starvation cult leader, took them to a location associated with one of the worst cases of cult-related deaths in Kenyan history. Following the identification of her husband's body, she is now anxiously awaiting the results of DNA tests for more than 30 recently unearthed remains in the Shakahola Forest area. The situation continues to unfold amid investigations into the cult's activities and calls for tougher regulations on religious organizations.
Carolyne Odour has told the BBC she desperately fears for the fate of her two young sons who went missing two months ago with their father - a follower of the teachings of a notorious starvation cult leader. Ms Odour says that amid an ongoing investigation into more deaths linked to the cult, she has identified her husband's body at a mortuary in the coastal town of Malindi. His corpse was found in July in the village of Kwa Binzaro, near the Shakahola Forest, where more than 400 bodies were discovered in 2023 in one of the most horrific cult-related mass deaths in history.Currently waiting for DNA test results on over 30 unearthed bodies, Ms Odour recounted her horror at identifying her husband's badly decomposed remains, saying, I barely recognised him. She believes her sons, Daniel, 12, and Elijah, 9, travelled with their father to the cult's location at the end of June.Self-proclaimed pastor Paul Mackenzie is currently on trial related to the so-called 'Shakahola Forest Massacre' and has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter, despite allegations that he instructed followers to cease eating to hasten their ascent to heaven.Amid her heartache, Ms Odour reflects on her husband’s transformation after he joined the cult and the resulting tensions in their marriage. He didn’t want the kids to go to school, she lamented. Shortly after their disappearance, she began to suspect something was wrong when she hadn't heard from him again.After a search, she confirmed the dreadful truth about her husband's death. The police reported that he had been found strangled in a location linked to the cult.Dr. Raymond Omollo, a senior official in Kenya's Ministry of Interior, disclosed plans to implement stricter regulations concerning religious organizations to prevent further tragedies. The ongoing investigations in the Shakahola forest have paused, as forensic teams plan to analyze the remains found thus far.As for Ms Odour, she endures the torment of waiting to hear about her sons. Every time I see a child wearing uniform, I feel pain because of their absence, she shared.
