Detectives are probing a church in Rongo, Migori County, after two congregants were found dead and 57 others were rescued in what police suspect is part of a wider investigation into cult-like practices.
Police said they received a report on Monday, April 21, 2025, about a body lying inside the controversial Melkio Joseph Mission Messiah church located in Kanyadiedo sub-location, East Kamagambo.
Officers rushed to the scene and discovered the body lying on the floor of a prayer room within the church compound. The deceased had been dressed in a white robe and wrapped in a grey sheet. Officers also noted visible facial injuries and foam oozing from the mouth.
Earlier that day, police had recovered another body from the same premises. They moved both bodies to a nearby morgue pending autopsies and further investigations.
A search of the church compound led to the rescue of 57 people who had been living there under unclear circumstances. According to police, some of the individuals appeared frail. Officers escorted the entire group to Rongo Sub-County Hospital for medical attention, but none of them agreed to be examined by health workers.
Instead, the group began chanting and singing religious songs, disrupting services at the hospital. Medical staff eventually advised police to remove them to avoid interfering with the treatment of other patients. Officers then took the group to a local police station, where they remain in custody as authorities consult on the next steps.
GSU Officer’s Death Sparks Cult Fears
This incident is the second to rock the area in recent weeks and has intensified an ongoing investigation into alleged occult activities linked to the church.
Police recently began probing another disturbing case involving a police officer believed to have been radicalised. The officer, identified as Obura and stationed at the General Service Unit (GSU) headquarters in Nairobi, reportedly fell ill while at home. His wife told police she took him to the same church in Opapo village, Kamagambo, to seek healing prayers. Unfortunately, he died en route, and the group arrived at the church around 8 p.m. on March 27.
The following day, Obura’s wife secured a burial permit from a local assistant chief. However, the chief later told police he did not know the body would be buried at the church compound. Armed with the permit, the woman and a few church members buried Obura within the church grounds.
Some of Obura’s relatives claimed they had previously warned authorities about the church, alleging it had influenced their son with dangerous teachings. His father had even reported the matter to local police, who visited the church at one point, although it remains unclear whether any action was taken.
Police have now confirmed that investigations into both incidents are ongoing, as suspicions around occult practices continue to grow in the region.
Meanwhile, the church has been shut down indefinitely.
