Morris Yimbo, a father from Kanyakwar, Kisumu, experienced the heart-wrenching loss of his three sons to the infamous Shakahola cult massacre in Kilifi, which unfolded during the turbulence of the Covid-19 pandemic. Yimbo reports that his own brother, Wickliffe Omondi, also known as ‘Waimoi’, played a key role in luring his sons into the cult.
Nearly three years ago, Yimbo’s sons – Vincent Lihanda (21), Godwin Maxwell (17), and Collins Lijodi (14) – vanished without a trace. The authorities were unable to locate them until the recent revelations about the Shakahola cult emerged.
Yimbo recalls that the bizarre behavior of his eldest son, Vincent, began after attending a church affiliated with Omondi. He grew increasingly rebellious and disobedient, often attending late-night services with his uncle. As his academic performance deteriorated, Yimbo attempted to intervene, but Vincent ran away from home, only to return after his mother’s pleading.
Despite returning home, Vincent remained fixated on leaving school to spread the gospel. His newfound passion alarmed his parents, but the lockdown measures implemented during the Covid-19 pandemic initially prevented him from acting on his desires. However, when the restrictions were lifted, Vincent disappeared once again, this time with Omondi.
In the ensuing months, Yimbo’s other two sons followed their brother’s footsteps, as Omondi orchestrated their departure as well. Yimbo’s tireless search for his missing children led him on a harrowing journey marked by sporadic, mysterious phone calls from various numbers.
With the help of the police, Yimbo discovered that the calls were traced back to Lamu. It was then that he learned of his brother’s involvement with the Shakahola cult and the grim fate that had befallen his children. Yimbo was confronted with the horrifying discovery that his sons had been strangled while attempting to escape from the cult’s compound, their bodies buried in shallow graves nearby.
Overwhelmed with grief, Yimbo collapsed and required hospitalization. He is currently awaiting DNA results for his sons before making final burial arrangements, as he grapples with the profound loss of his three children to the sinister clutches of the Shakahola cult.