30 April 2023 , 21:23
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A second starvation cult has been uncovered in Kenya with 31 people locked up without food.
Police said the group were found weak and hungry after starving themselves for almost a week.
Among the rescued were 14 adults and 17 children as young as two.
Detectives in Nakuru arrested a 62-year-old woman suspected of being the spiritual leader of the Army Rurwama group.
Followers of the cult were confined to a house at Kamwene 'B' village in Kihingo for a fellowship, fasting, and prayers.
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Hellen Wanjiru Weri was arrested in a Saturday raid, reports the Nation.
A police investigation is currently underway after a woman raised concerns for her daughter (Getty Images/iStockphoto)It comes after a report from a 66-year-old woman from Moi's Bridge in the Uasin Gishu region, according to the Kenyan news outlet.
The woman said her daughter, who had secured a job as a community health nurse, refused to report to work and instead travelled to Njoro for the prayers and fasting.
Police reports claim that the woman said her daughter had been locked up at Wanjiru's house without food for several days for prayers and fasting.
On Saturday, police tracked her daughter’s phone, arrested Wanjiru and freed the 31 people.
Officers found that the complainant had found work for her 35-year-old daughter who refused to turn up, choosing to travel to Njoro instead.
The police report allegedly said the daughter was a mum of four who had secured employment as a health nurse.
It said she was set to begin work on April 26 "however refused to report to work and travelled to Nakuru."
It added: "Officers found the members [of the group] confined to one house belonging to Ms Wanjiru.
"She runs an unregistered suspected cult church known as Army Rurwama.
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"The scene was visited. All were rescued and taken to Njoro police station for further investigations."
Among the rescued were 14 adults aged between 23 and 64 including ten women and four men..
A total 17 children aged between two and 15 were also found, including 11 girls and six boys.
Njoro Deputy County Commissioner David Mbevi said the force was tipped off by a member of the public about suspicious activities at Wanjiru’s home.
He confirmed that the raid found religious practices were taking place at the site.
Wanjiru reportedly told detectives that her church has been running since 2006.
"We are investigating to establish what other religious activities have been going on in the church because the circumstances that brought all of them together are questionablem" Mr Mbevi added.
The DCC said all those found at the house including Wanjiru were taken to the police station to give their statement.
He continued: "They confirmed to us that they were there for prayers though the place is not a registered church. They describe her as their spiritual mother."
Following recent reports of cults in Kenya, police decided to conduct further investigations.
He said the group told detectives that they had travelled to Wanjiru's house for prayers, so they could find solutions to their lives' challenges.
Police said the adults and children were later released.
The news comes after more than 200 bodies were unearthed in south east Kenya in another starvation cult.
Police discovered the bodies buried in shallow graves within the Shakahola forest in Kilifi.
Authorities believe they were followers of the Good News International Church who thought they would go to heaven if they stopped eating.
It is believed that cult leader Paul Mackenzie Nthenge had convinced his followers that they would go to heaven and "meet Jesus" if they starved themselves.