Kenyan cult leader Paul Mackenzie has been sentenced to 200 years in prison for his role in the murder of 191 people, mostly children, at his Good News International Church. Mackenzie, along with over two dozen others, was sentenced at the Mombasa High Court on Friday. The court found Mackenzie guilty of using his teachings to enforce a campaign of abuse and forced fasting that led to the deaths.
Mackenzie's teachings were based on "doomsday or end-times" beliefs, which preached that the world would end in August 2023 and that followers needed to fast to reach heaven. Children were scheduled to die first, followed by young people and women, while men were expected to stay alive long enough to bury the bodies before dying. The court heard that Mackenzie used sermons and written materials to convince followers that the outside world was evil and that salvation could only be found in the forest.
The victims, including 161 children aged 9 or younger, were subjected to forced fasting and abuse in Shakahola Forest, eastern Kenya. The court found that guards controlled followers' movements and prevented them from leaving, while those who resisted were forced to comply. Children were restrained, denied food, and punished when they tried to eat or escape. Postmortem findings showed that starvation was not the only cause of death, with some victims dying from suffocation, neck compression, or head injuries.
Lady Justice Diana Kavedza, who delivered the sentencing, said she did not impose the death penalty because it could strengthen the convicts' belief that dying would reunite them with Jesus, rather than deter them. She also wanted to leave open the possibility that they could help locate the remains of missing children. Kavedza described how Mackenzie had persuaded followers to abandon their homes and move to Shakahola Forest, promising that fasting there would bring them closer to God and prepare them for heaven.
Mackenzie's sentencing comprised 100 years' imprisonment for the murder of those who starved and 100 years for those who died by direct homicide. The court heard that 183 of the 191 victims died from starvation, including 182 children and one adult, while the remaining eight victims, all children, were suffocated, strangled, or beaten to death. Authorities began exhuming bodies from Shakahola in April 2023 and have recovered more than 400 bodies so far.
Survivors and families of the victims have expressed mixed reactions to the sentencing. Stephen Mwiti, whose six children died in Shakahola, said no outcome in the case could undo the loss of his family. Rodgers Shibutse, a Nairobi resident who identified his mother's remains among those exhumed, said he was not 100% satisfied with the verdict but acknowledged that it was the only available option.
The 191 murder convictions relate to the victims in the case decided last month, while further charges could follow. Mackenzie smiled several times during Friday's sentencing, while most of those convicted did not show any remorse for their actions. The case highlights the dangers of cults and the importance of protecting vulnerable individuals, particularly children, from exploitation and abuse.
Key points
- Paul Mackenzie sentenced to 200 years in prison for murder of 191 people, mostly children.
- Mackenzie's teachings based on "doomsday or end-times" beliefs led to forced fasting and abuse.
- Authorities recovered over 400 bodies from Shakahola Forest, with further charges possible.
