Kenya cult leader who told parents to starve children guilty of 191 murders

A Kenyan court has found Paul Mackenzie, the leader of a doomsday cult, and 29 others guilty of murdering 190 children and one adult. The convictions came after an eight-hour trial in Mombasa, where Judge Diana Kavedza Mochache delivered the verdict. Mackenzie, who founded the Good News International Church, was accused of ordering followers to starve themselves and their children to death in preparation for the apocalypse. The court rejected Mackenzie’s claim that he did not force the victims to starve, finding sufficient evidence to convict him and his accomplices. The bodies of more than 400 individuals were recovered from shallow graves in Shakahola Forest, located near the Kenyan coast. Of these, 26 were identified, while the rest remained unrecognizable due to severe decomposition. The majority of the deceased were children, some as young as a few weeks old. Gravediggers described discovering multiple bodies stacked together in graves, some bound with their hands and legs tied and wrapped in bed sheets. One witness recounted finding 12 children's bodies lined up in a single grave. Mackenzie was arrested in April 2023 following a tip-off to police. Authorities had previously searched his premises in 2017 and shut down his church in 2019, after which he relocated to Shakahola Forest with hundreds of followers. The discovery of mass graves sparked widespread outrage and raised questions about why the authorities failed to intervene earlier. Relatives of the victims attended the trial, with some expressing relief at the convictions. Francis Wanje, who lost eight family members, including two grandchildren, said the judgment offered hope that such atrocities would not occur again. The cult operated under strict doctrines that forbade education and modern medicine, labeling hospitals and schools as "evil." Followers lived in makeshift homes constructed from polythene sheeting and thatch, divided into sections named after biblical locations. Mackenzie reportedly divided the deaths into phases, first children, then women and young men, and finally the remaining men. Some survivors described how members were prevented from seeking medical help, believing that only divine intervention could cure illness. Mackenzie and his co-accused will be sentenced on 6 November. They face additional charges related to terrorism, radicalization, and the denial of education to children. Mackenzie’s defense team plans to appeal the conviction. Meanwhile, the excavation of the forest continues, with more bodies still being uncovered. The case has prompted calls for stricter oversight of religious groups in Kenya, where faith plays a central role in public life. The trial highlighted the extent of Mackenzie’s influence and the lengths to which he went to maintain control over his followers. Former members described how he was regarded as a spiritual authority, with some refusing to speak negatively about him even after leaving the cult. Others recounted the physical and psychological toll of adhering to his beliefs, including the loss of access to basic healthcare and the isolation of children from their families. As the legal proceedings move forward, the focus remains on ensuring justice for the victims and preventing similar incidents in the future. The case underscores the dangers of extremist ideologies and the need for greater vigilance in monitoring religious organizations. The sentencing date marks a critical moment in the ongoing investigation into one of the deadliest cult-related tragedies in recent history.