Police in Kenya have started exhuming bodies from over a dozen suspected graves believed to contain followers of the Good News International Church. The former religious group's members were encouraged to starve themselves to death with the belief they would ascend to heaven, said Kenyan police. Four of the followers died before making it to the hospital. The leader of the cult, Paul Mackenzie, who was arrested following a tip-off of shallow graves containing followers, is now in police custody. He has denied the allegations brought against him, calling them false. A former member of the church, Titus Katana, aided police by identifying the graves. With Katana’s help, at least twenty-one bodies (including those of three children) have so far been discovered in Kilifi county. Forensic experts will conduct medical tests on the exhumed bodies to confirm the cause of death. Investigations are ongoing, with police anticipating that more bodies will be found.