Kenya: Religious sect leader convicted of starving 190 children to death in forest
Mombasa court convicts Paul McKenzie and 28 associates of killing 191 people in the Shakahola massacre
Translated by Qiyas from السياسة — Original source
- Court convicts 28 of his associates in the “Shakahola Massacre” case; sentencing scheduled for November 6
A court in the Kenyan city of Mombasa on Monday convicted religious sect leader Paul Mackenzie and 28 of his associates of killing 191 people, including 190 children, in the case widely known in the media as the “Shakahola Forest Massacre,” which sparked widespread shock in the country after the deaths of hundreds of people were revealed to have resulted from starvation.
The Public Prosecution Service charged Mackenzie with inciting his followers to abstain from food until death, on the grounds that this would allow them to “meet Christ.”
During a public session, Judge Diana Kaviedza Muchatchi confirmed that the prosecution had presented sufficient evidence to prove the charges against the 29 defendants, while Mackenzie appeared calm as the verdict was delivered, having previously denied charges of manslaughter and terrorism in separate cases.
The office of the Kenyan Director of Public Prosecutions welcomed the ruling, describing it as “historic” given the large number of charges involved in the case.
The facts of the case date back to the discovery of corpses at the sect’s headquarters in a forested area near the coastal city of Malindi, where efforts to recover the victims’ remains continued over the past three years, raising the total number of bodies to more than 400, including children, women, and men.
The case has sparked calls for stricter oversight of religious institutions in Kenya, particularly after it was revealed that Mackenzie had been arrested twice previously before being released.
For his part, Dan Mackenzie, the son of the sect leader who has distanced himself from his father, expressed relief at the verdict, considering it to have done justice to the victims.
On the other hand, defense lawyer Lawrence Obonyo described the decision as “confusing,” asserting that his clients were surprised by it and felt disappointed, and that he would file an appeal to overturn it.
The court is scheduled to determine the sentences for the convicted individuals on November 6.
