Authorities in Migori County have launched investigations into a suspected cult-like operation after two bodies were recovered and 57 individuals rescued from St Joseph’s Missions of Africa Church in Kochola village, Rongo Sub-county.
According to a police report, the chilling incident unfolded after an assistant chief tipped off local officers about a death reported within the church premises. Responding officers discovered the lifeless body of a man identified as Francis Muli inside a prayer room at the church compound.
The body, wrapped in a grey sheet and dressed in a white robe, bore visible facial injuries, and foam was seen oozing from the mouth, raising suspicions about the circumstances surrounding his death. The scene was processed before the body was transferred to Rosewood Mortuary, where a postmortem is expected to be conducted.
Police further revealed that another body had been recovered from the same church compound earlier in the day under similarly unclear circumstances.
The incident took a more alarming turn after officers found 57 individuals residing within the church grounds. Many appeared frail, weak, and in need of medical attention, prompting their immediate transfer to Rongo Sub-County Hospital.
However, hospital operations were disrupted when the group reportedly refused examination and broke into chants and songs in protest. Medical staff advised police to remove them due to the disturbance. The group was later relocated to a nearby police station for further processing.
This marks the second disturbing incident linked to alleged cultic activity in Kamagambo this year. In March, a police officer believed to have been radicalised by a religious sect in Opapo village was buried on church grounds following his sudden death. Authorities have since linked that case to occult practices and misleading teachings associated with the church.
Local residents have raised concerns over the growing number of unregulated religious movements in the area, calling for swift government action to protect vulnerable individuals.
Police investigations into the latest incident are ongoing, with authorities promising to leave no stone unturned in uncovering the truth behind the mysterious deaths and questionable religious practices.