Interior CS Kithure Kindiki has revealed that controversial Malindi preacher Paul Mackenzie was a crafty man who went to great lengths to cover up his criminal activities within the expansive Shakahola Forest.
While appearing before the Senate Select Committee on Shakahola on Friday, the CS termed Mackenzie a terrorist who was deliberate in whatever he was doing.
"He avoided the use of technology and a lot of the money he had conned people was done in cash," Kindiki said.
The preacher has been accused of brainwashing followers of his Good News International Church located in Kilifi County to sell their property and join the church.
He is said to have then persuaded them to starve to death on the belief that they would meet Jesus.
Those who changed their minds and wanted out were killed by armed criminals who were supervising the starvation, Kindiki told the senators.
"Some of the mass graves were covered with vegetation, and that is why our officers have to physically look for the graves," Kindiki said.
So far, over 241 bodies have been exhumed from dozens of shallow graves within the 800-acre forest located within Chakama Ranch.
As of Thursday, May 25, at least 91 people had been rescued and 19 reunited with their families.
On the same day, ten more mass graves were discovered as Kindiki launched the second phase of the search for victims.
He said the government will open roads within the ranch to ease the search and rescue operation as it's believed there are many more graves and people are still hiding in the forest.
"This operation will take a long time to conclude," Kindiki told the lawmakers on Friday.
