Forty-seven bodies have been removed, after telling followers to do the action in order to “meet Jesus”.

 
Forty-seven bodies have been removed in Kenya as police investigate a preacher said to have told church followers to starve to death.

The Church leader described by local media as a ‘cult leader’ is in custody and pending a court appearance.

The man allegedly told followers to starve themselves in order to “meet Jesus”.

Paul Makenzie Nthenge has denied wrongdoing, but has been refused bail.

The shallow graves are in forest near a coastal town in Kenya, where 15 members of the Good News International Church were rescued last week.

One of the graves is believed to contain the bodies of five members of the same family – three children and their parents.

Kenyan interior minister says all 800 acres of the forest had been sealed off and declared a crime scene.

Kenya is a religious country and there have been previous cases of people being lured into dangerous, unregulated churches or cults.