This archive report was first published on 31 October 2019.
Kenyan police have launched a probe into a series of ritual killings linked to cultism, with 86 people, including 22 religious leaders, being questioned.
Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti warned about the rise of cultism, particularly in Nairobi, Embu, Kitui, and Kericho, citing evidence uncovered following investigations into a string of killings.
University students are among the groups increasingly falling prey to the allure of the glamorous lifestyle portrayed by the shadowy organisations.
Police have in the past warned against a group called the Young Blud Saints, which targets university students in Nairobi.
Investigations have revealed that the people whose names were found in a seized book include politicians, business owners, and civil servants.
They are presumed to either be members of the group or potential recruits.
However, the 22 who have so far been questioned at Kitui Police Station have denied knowledge of the cult.
“They have denied, but we believe they know more. We are still on the case,” said a senior officer aware of the probe.
The police said some of the people listed in the confiscated book could not be reached, but detectives are looking for them.
According to Kinoti, the police have concluded that parts of Nairobi, Embu, Kitui, and Kericho could be breeding grounds for cultism.
“We have had so many deaths out of cultism. They include those where children or kin are dying because they don’t believe in conventional medicine,” Kinoti said.
He said some killings remain unsolved and called for a multi-agency approach to address the issue because of its complexity and the beliefs involved.
