The death toll from the “fasting to enter paradise” ritual has so far reached 179.
This week, authorities searched for remains in shallow graves scattered around the Chakahola forest and for survivors, as hundreds of people are still missing.
A Kenyan court on Wednesday denied bail to Paul Mackenzie, leader of the Good News International Church, who is accused of ordering his followers to starve themselves and their children to death in order to enter in paradise before the end of the hour.
Local official Rhoda Onyansha said the search had expanded to other parts of the forest on Friday.
Exhumations will resume on Saturday, according to Reuters.
A gravedigger at the exhumation site, who asked Reuters not to be named, said among the bodies exhumed on Friday were 12 children.
McKenzie has not yet been asked to file a petition.
His lawyer said he was cooperating with the Kenyan police in their investigations.
Last April, the Kenya Red Cross Society said more than 200 people were reported missing from a tracing and counseling office it had set up at a local hospital.
Of note, cult leader Paul Mackenzie was arrested on April 14, after a report indicated the existence of surface graves containing the bodies of at least 31 of his followers.
Earlier, Kenyan President William Ruto said McKenzie’s teachings are incompatible with any religion.
“Mr. Mackenzie…pretends to be a priest when in fact he is a hideous criminal,” he added, in a speech at an unrelated public event in Nairobi.
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