MOMBASA-(Maravi Post)-Kenyan cult leader Paul Mackenzie has been found guilty of murdering 191 people, most of them children, in a case that has exposed the devastating consequences of extremist religious teachings.
According to BBC, citing court proceedings in Mombasa, says Mackenzie instructed followers to starve their children to death in the belief that they would meet Jesus, while 28 other leaders associated with his cult were also convicted of murder.
The verdict marks a major development in one of Kenya’s most disturbing criminal cases, which emerged after hundreds of bodies were discovered in shallow graves in Shakahola Forest near the country’s coast.
Delivering an extensive judgment, Justice Diana Mochache said Mackenzie’s followers regarded him as a representative of Jesus, highlighting the influence he exercised over members of the religious group.
Court testimony revealed that some followers were allegedly subjected to violence if they resisted instructions to fast, while burials in the forest were described as spiritual celebrations.
One witness recounted the death of a newborn whose mother had reportedly been prevented from breastfeeding the child and instructed to continue fasting until death.
Mackenzie’s teachings also prohibited formal education and portrayed modern medicine as evil, leaving some followers without access to essential healthcare.
The cult leader established Good News International Ministries in 2003, attracting thousands of followers through church branches and televised sermons before moving his operations to Shakahola Forest after the main church closed in 2019.
The case gained international attention in 2023 when investigators began uncovering mass graves containing the remains of more than 400 people, including numerous children.
Among those affected was Stephen Mwiti, who said he lost all six of his children to the cult and welcomed the convictions as a measure of justice for the victims.
Several survivors and witnesses described the suffering endured by members who became severely ill after abandoning medical treatment and undergoing prolonged fasting.
Despite the evidence presented in court, some former followers continue to defend Mackenzie, illustrating the powerful hold his teachings maintained over certain members.
Mackenzie and other accused leaders also face separate legal proceedings involving allegations related to terrorism, radicalisation and violations of children’s rights.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on 6 November, following the guilty verdict on the murder charges.
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