Relatives of victims of Kenya’s Shakahola starvation cult massacre have welcomed a court verdict finding self-proclaimed preacher Paul Mackenzie and 28 associates guilty of murdering 191 people, including 190 children.
The ruling followed the discovery of hundreds of bodies buried in shallow graves in Shakahola Forest, near the coastal town of Malindi, in 2023. More than 400 bodies have since been recovered from the area.
Francis Wanje, who lost eight members of his family in the tragedy, expressed relief at the verdict after years of waiting for justice.
“I am happy. It’s something that I did not expect because first the case has taken so long. From 2023 up to today it’s a long period of time, almost four years now,” he said.
Prosecutors alleged that Mackenzie instructed his followers to starve themselves to death in order to “meet Jesus”, with children reportedly made to undergo the practice first.
The court found that the church exhibited characteristics of a cult, including the isolation and domination of its members.
Kenya’s Director of Public Prosecutions, Renson Ingonga, described the convictions as a significant achievement, considering the large number of charges, defendants and witnesses involved in the proceedings.
However, Mackenzie’s defence lawyer, Lawrence Obonyo, said his clients were disappointed with the outcome and intended to appeal the verdict.
Obonyo expressed confidence that the convictions could be overturned on appeal.
The court is expected to sentence the convicted defendants on November 6.
Mackenzie is also facing separate manslaughter and terrorism cases linked to the activities of the religious group.
