Self-proclaimed pastor Paul Mackenzie is facing charges of murder, child torture, and terrorism after the deaths of over 400 of his followers in what has become one of the world’s most devastating cult-related tragedies.
Mackenzie, the leader of the Good News International Church, went on trial for manslaughter following the discovery of hundreds of bodies in April 2023. He was arrested for allegedly instructing his followers to starve themselves to death in order to “meet Jesus.” The charges against him and his co-accused include murder, manslaughter, kidnapping, and child torture in separate cases.
The remains of more than 440 people were uncovered in a remote wilderness near the coastal town of Malindi. Autopsies conducted on some of the bodies revealed that while starvation was the primary cause of death, some victims, including children, had been strangled, beaten, or suffocated. Previous court documents also suggested that some bodies had their organs removed. The trial, which is set to run for four days until Thursday, will see prosecutors present testimony from at least 420 witnesses.
Reporting from Mombasa, Al Jazeera’s Stefanie Dekker noted that Mackenzie appeared frail and thinner than usual in court but still exuded an air of control over his followers. “He [Mackenzie] is at the helm of all of these charges in a case that has also raised questions on accountability on self-appointing pastors and healing men in a country that is deeply religious,” Dekker reported.
Some witnesses will provide testimonies in camera for security reasons. Last month, 55 men and 40 women linked to Mackenzie went on trial on charges of terrorism over the massacre in Shakahola. They also face separate charges of murder, child torture, and cruelty related to deaths that prosecutors claim occurred between 2020 and 2023.
In response to the tragedy, President William Ruto established a commission to investigate the deaths and review the regulations governing religious bodies. The commission presented its report last month, recommending a hybrid model of self-regulation and government oversight.
