The Kenyan police have so far identified 47 bodies who believes they were members of a Christian sect who believed they would go to heaven if they fasted to death.

Police began exhuming bodies from the Sakahola forest near the coastal town of Malindi on Friday. “In total, 47 people died in the Sakahola forest,” police inspector Charles Kamau told Reuters. But he added that the investigation continues to identify other victims.

Last time, the police rescued 15 members of the sect, of the International Church of the Good News, who said they were ordered to starve. Four of those people, however, died before reaching the hospital.

The sect leader, Paul Mackenzie, was arrested after authorities were tipped off about “shallow graves” in which at least 31 worshipers had been buried. Local media reported that Mackenzie refused to eat or drink anything while in custody.

Home Affairs Minister Kiture Kidiki said the entire forest, covering about 3,200 hectares, has been cordoned off and declared a crime scene.

“This horrific slap in the face of our conscience must lead not only to the severe punishment of the perpetrators of this atrocity at the expense of so many innocent souls, but also to stricter regulations (including self-regulation) for every church, mosque, temple or synagogue,” he added.