Mackenzie faces verdict over 191 murder charges in Shakahola case

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 19 — The High Court is set to rule on Monday whether controversial preacher Paul Nthenge Mackenzie and 30 co-accused are guilty of murdering 191 children, as families continue to seek answers over a tragedy in which the human rights commission documented 448 deaths.

Justice Diana Kavedza is scheduled to deliver the judgment at the Mombasa High Court at 9.30am, according to a Judiciary media advisory.

The case centres on deaths linked to Mackenzie’s Good News International Church, whose activities came under scrutiny in April 2023 after authorities uncovered mass graves in Kilifi’s Shakahola Forest, exposing an alleged starvation cult in which followers were reportedly encouraged to fast to death in the belief that they would meet Jesus.

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The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) documented 448 deaths in its Mashaka ya Shakahola report released in March 2024, while more than 600 people were reported missing.

The commission said fewer than 10 per cent of the bodies had been identified and handed over to families for burial.

The discoveries triggered a major search and exhumation operation, with forensic teams working to identify the victims and establish the circumstances surrounding their deaths.

In its investigation, the KNCHR found that the deaths were linked to starvation, strangulation, head injuries and dehydration, citing autopsy findings alongside accounts from survivors and witnesses. It also criticised state agencies for failing to act on earlier warnings about Mackenzie’s activities.

The prosecution has argued that the accused were involved in a common plan that led to the deaths. doubt.

In April, Justice Kavedza ruled that Mackenzie and his co-accused had a case to answer, directing them to present their defence.

The April ruling meant the prosecution had established a prima facie case, a key threshold for further proceedings.

The trial featured testimony from survivors, relatives of victims, investigators and forensic experts. Evidence included postmortem findings and other material gathered during investigations into the deaths.

Prosecutors also relied on the doctrine of common intention, alleging that the accused acted together towards a shared objective. The defence was subsequently heard before the court reserved its judgment.

Beyond the criminal proceedings, the Shakahola tragedy prompted wider scrutiny of religious organisations and the state’s response to allegations of harmful practices.

The KNCHR concluded that the state had failed to protect citizens from harm, citing missed opportunities to act on warnings, delays in investigations and shortcomings in the support provided to survivors and families.

The commission called for accountability among officials whose actions or omissions may have contributed to the tragedy, as well as improved rehabilitation and support for survivors.