Mombasa court delivers 200-year sentence
The Mombasa High Court sentenced Paul Mackenzie to 200 years in prison for the murders of 191 people. All victims except one were children. Mackenzie, who founded Good News International Ministries in 2003, led his followers to the Shakahola forest to prepare for heaven. The church grew in popularity over 16 years and used a television station called Times TV to broadcast sermons from Malindi. The group closed its main church in 2019 before moving to the forest. Police investigations into the group intensified in 2023 after the discovery of more than 400 bodies in shallow graves near Malindi. Prosecutors in Mombasa argued for the death penalty because of the gravity of the crimes and Mackenzie’s lack of remorse. The prosecution also requested life sentences for the 27 other defendants. This conviction covers 191 deaths, but more than 400 bodies were exhumed from the forest. Mackenzie had previously faced arrest but was released due to lack of evidence. The group was accused of a campaign of abuse and forced confinement that led to the massive loss of life.
Systematic starvation and religious extremism
Justice Diana Mochache delivered an eight-hour judgment stating that Mackenzie’s followers believed he was "Jesus’s mouthpiece". The court found that the deaths resulted from an organized system of religious teachings and directives that forced followers to participate in deadly fasting. The court determined that the deaths did not result from individual decisions to fast but from a system of religious instruction. One co-accused testified that Mackenzie told followers that anyone who resisted the directive to fast "must be forced to go to heaven through kicks and blows". The judge noted that cult members called burials inside the forest "weddings" and celebrated those who died as having wedded with Jesus.
| Cause of death | Specific conditions |
|---|---|
| Starvation | Most victims followed fasting orders |
| Suffocation | Occurred in several cases |
| Strangulation | Occurred in several cases |
| Head injuries | Occurred in several cases |
| Unidentified | Due to body decomposition |
Post-mortem results showed most victims died from starvation, while others died from suffocation, strangulation, or head injuries. Some bodies were too decomposed to determine a cause of death, and others died shortly after rescue because they were so emaciated. Mackenzie preached "End Days" sermons that described education as "evil" and healthcare as being against the doctrine. He also described digital identity cards as "the mark of the devil".
Victim testimony and institutional failures
Francis Wanje, who lost eight relatives in the Shakahola forest including two grandchildren, told the BBC that he expected a sentence which would match the amount of harm Mackenzie caused to his family. Wanje reported the cult’s activities to the police in March 2023. He stated that a relative in the police force and a former cult participant saved his grandson from the forest. The child told police what was happening and showed them the grave locations of his siblings. Wanje noted that without those rescue efforts, his grandson would have died. The investigation conducted by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights revealed that local administration and law enforcement officials had repeatedly ignored reports regarding the activities of the religious group within the Shakahola forest area for a long period of time. The court later declared the commission of inquiry unconstitutional. Mackenzie and other cult leaders still face legal proceedings for terrorism and radicalization. The conviction only accounts for the 191 victims, leaving many questions about the fate of the hundreds of others found in the forest. This discrepancy shows the need for further investigation into the deaths of the remaining bodies found in the area.
