Pastor Paul Mackenzie and 28 others were found guilty of murder for inciting followers to starve themselves to death.
A Kenyan court on Monday found cult leader Paul Mackenzie and 28 associates guilty of murdering 191 people, primarily children, in the Shakahola Forest Massacre. The judge stated the prosecution proved the case for the deaths of 190 children and one adult, rejecting claims that the victims voluntarily fasted. Hundreds of bodies have been exhumed from the cult's base near Malindi since 2023, with the total number of victims exceeding 400 over three years.
Mackenzie, who allegedly told his followers to starve to meet Jesus, remained impassive in the Mombasa courtroom as the verdict was delivered. He faces separate charges of manslaughter and terrorism. Relatives of those who died, many from rural coastal communities, were present in court to hear the judgment.
The Shakahola Forest Massacre has revealed a grim pattern of deaths, with bodies of men, women, and children unearthed over the past three years. The court's decision marks a significant step in holding those responsible accountable for the widespread loss of life attributed to the cult's extreme practices.
Why it mattersRelatives of victims are affected by the court's guilty verdict in the starvation cult case.
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