New details indicate that controversial Malindi Pastor Paul Mackenzie's alleged 800-acre Shakahola farm, where over 90 bodies were exhumed, could be owned by the government.
Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung'aro in an interview with Citizen TV disclosed that the land is part of the Chakama Settlement scheme.
A settlement scheme is a land set aside by the Government to promote rural development by establishing farmers in underdeveloped areas.
Mung'aro on Tuesday said the 800-acre farm is part of many acres of Chakama Ranch land that people grabbed.
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"That land which Mackenzie is occupying is not his; we have three schemes in that area which were initially grabbed by some individuals from the Chakama ranchers," he said.
According to Mung'aro, the Chakama Settlement Scheme has three phases. The first phase which is 52,000 acres was recovered.
The second phase was too recovered five years ago.
Governor Mung'aro said the current 800-acre farm that is believed to be owned by Pastor Mackenzie is the third phase of the settlement scheme.
“We managed to recover Phase One which is about 52,000 acres and Phase Two was recovered around five years ago," Mung'aro said.
"The area he (Mackenzie) is occupying is Chakama phase three which is currently being contested for by the people who grabbed it and the bank."
The 800-acre farm has been at the centre of a storm after several bodies were recovered from it after exhumations.
A preliminary probe established that the deceased were victims of cultish beliefs being pushed by Pastor Paul Mackenzie.
