St Joseph Missions of Africa Curch hit the headlines recently after a GSU officer died and was buried in the church compound
According to a police report, they received a signal from a member of the public on Monday evening that there is a lifeless body of a male person inside the church.
Rongo sub county security and intelligence committee rushed to the scene and confirmed the incident.
“The team found the body of unknown age lying on the floor of a prayer room within the compound,” said the police report.The body was fully covered in a white rob and wrapped in a grey sheet.
When inspected, the body had some injuries on the face and foam was oozing from the mouth.The team later discovered another body upon doing inspection in the church compound.The two bodies were transferred to Rosewood mortuary pending postmortem examinations.
During the search, 57 people residing in the church compound, some appeared weak and frail were rescued.They comprised children of age 5 to old people of age 77, both male and female.
The group was then escorted to Rongo sub county hospital for medical attention.“All of them flatly refused to be examined by medical officers and began to make noises and sing religious songs,” said the report.
The medical staff, then ordered they be removed from the hospital since they were making noise to other patients in the facility.They were then booked at the police station waiting further directives.
Two people have been found deceased, and 57 others rescued by police from St Joseph Mission of Africa Church in Migori County, Kochola Village.
In a report, the Kamagambo Police Station in Migori County said that the security and intelligence committee from Rongo sub-county discovered one lifeless body lying on the floor of a prayer room in the church on Sunday, April 20.
According to the police, the body was found wrapped in a white robe and wrapped in a grey sheet, had injuries on the face, and foam was oozing from the mouth. Another body was recovered later in the day on the church premises.
According to the police, the two bodies were moved to Rosewood Mortuary pending postmortem.
"The scene was processed, and necessary action was taken. The body was removed to Rosewood Mortuary pending postmortem," the report stated.
Upon further scrutiny of the church premises, the police also rescued 57 people residing within the church, between the ages of 5 and 77 years, who they describe as weak and frail
After being escorted to the Rongo Sub-county Hospital for medical attention, the police claim that the individuals resisted being examined and began to sing religious songs.
The individuals were then removed from the hospital, after concerns from the doctors, and moved to the Kamagambo Police Station.
"When they persisted, the medical officers advised that the group should be removed from the hospital since they were disturbing the other patients at the facility. They were taken to the station to await further directives," it stated.
According to the reports, the operation was kick-started following a tip-off from the Assistant Chief of Kanyadiedo sub-location, who reported suspicious activities in the church.
This incident is similar to the Shakahola tragedy in 2023, which also began with the discovery of malnourished and neglected children and later escalated into the unearthing of shallow graves and the rescue of survivors.
On Friday, April 11, the Court of Appeal in Malindi gave a green light to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to proceed with 191 charges against preacher Paul Mackenzie and 30 other accused persons over incidents that occurred in the Shakahola.
