An inquest has been launched over claims of mistreatment of some of the female suspects in the Shakahola massacre who are being held at the Shimo la Tewa women's prison.
According to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), Pastor Paul Mackenzie's wife, Rhoda Mumbua Maweu, has been subjected to harsh treatment inside the prison, including enduring torture and denial of food.
There have also been allegations that she has been physically assaulted and made to sleep on the floor by the prison officers.
Maweu was first arrested on May 2, 2023, after being linked to a cult associated with her husband Paul Mackenzie. She is facing charges of manslaughter.
"The magistrate indicated that the allegations raised were serious and it is prudent for the officer in charge of the women's prison to provide a comprehensive report of the allegations," a statement from the office of the DPP read.
She was part of a list of 95 suspects who were charged with killing 238 people inside the Shakahola Forest in Malindi sub-county.
Pastor Mackenzie, who was regarded as the mastermind behind the killings, was slapped with a string of charges including murder, manslaughter and assault causing bodily harm.
Meanwhile, two of the suspects in the Shakahola massacre who passed away while in police custody have had cases against them dropped.
Chief Magistrate Alex Ithuku decided to drop the cases on Monday, September 9, after he was presented with burial permits and postmortem reports by the prosecution, which suggest that both suspects died from illness.
One of the suspects, Edison Safari Munyambo alias Baba Sifa, passed away a few days ago while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Mombasa.
His death followed that of Mary Charo Mbita who died at Coast Teaching and Referral Hospital in August 2024.
Amid an inquest into her cause of death, Mbita's trial was initially marked as abated by Senior Assistant of Public Prosecutions Jami Yamina.
However, after the conclusion of the autopsy, the bodies of the two suspects were released to their relatives for burial.
