Joseph Buyuka was among 30 people, including self-styled pastor Paul Mackenzie of Good News International Church, in custody over the deaths of 337 followers of the church.

Authorities are searching for remains in shallow graves scattered throughout a forest where Mackenzie's followers were living.

Paul Mackenzie is in custody accused of ordering followers to starve their children and themselves so they could go to heaven before the end of the world, which he said would come on April 15.

Police say most of the bodies belong to followers of Paul Mackenzie, who is accused of ordering them to starve themselves to death so they would be the first to go to heaven ahead of the world's end.

Children account for most of the bodies recovered so far, reports say.

The deaths amount to one of the worst cult-related tragedies in recent history and the toll is expected to rise further, with the Kenyan Red Cross saying more than 300 people have been reported missing.

At least 98 members of Mackenzie's Good News International Church have died and the death toll has been steadily rising since authorities started exhuming mass graves.