Shakahola Massacre: Paul Mackenzie and 28 co-accused found guilty

In Kenya, the self-proclaimed preacher Paul Mackenzie and 28 co-accused were found guilty of the murder of 191 people, including 190 children, in the Shakahola forest massacre case. The verdict was delivered on Monday by a Mombasa court, more than three years after the discovery of the first mass graves. The Kenyan justice system delivered its verdict in one of the deadliest cases related to a religious sect in the country. Paul Mackenzie, founder of the Good News International Church, and his 28 co-accused were found guilty of the murder of 190 children and one adult. According to the prosecution, the preacher allegedly incited his followers to fast to death in order to "meet Jesus." The victims were allegedly subjected to extreme practices in an area of 325 hectares located in the Shakahola forest, near Malindi, on the Kenyan coast. Judge Diana Kavedza Mochache ruled that the prosecution had established the guilt of the 29 defendants. The court also found the existence of an organization structured around practices of radicalization, isolation, and domination, which allegedly led families to break their ties and some mothers to let their own children die of hunger. More than 400 deaths recorded The case broke out in April 2023, after the reporting of a human rights defense organization and the rescue of several followers. Police operations then revealed hundreds of mass graves in the Shakahola forest. In 2024, the national Kenyan human rights commission recorded 429 deaths. Other bodies have since been discovered, while some victims have still not been identified. Forensic examinations established that 72 victims died of starvation. Other deaths were attributed to asphyxiation, manual neck compression, or cranial trauma. For 110 bodies, advanced decomposition did not allow for the precise determination of the cause of death. Nevertheless, the court estimated that the circumstantial evidence allowed for a conclusion of death by starvation. The accused contest the charges brought against them. Lawrence Obonyo, Paul Mackenzie's defense lawyer, stated that his clients were surprised and disappointed by the verdict. He believes that the court did not sufficiently consider the evidence presented during the hearings and announced his intention to appeal. For his part, Renson Ingonga, the public prosecutor of Kenya, welcomed an important decision for Kenyan justice. He emphasized the difficulty of obtaining a conviction in a case involving 191 charges, several defendants, and many witnesses. Francis Wanje, 62, who lost eight family members, including his daughter and two grandchildren, expressed relief at the decision. However, he recalled the persistent pain related to these losses. "Mine will never come back, but at least, something has been done," he stated. The Shakahola massacre prompted calls in Kenya for strengthening the control of religious organizations. Paul Mackenzie had already been arrested in 2017 for radicalization charges, before being acquitted. In 2019, he was again arrested in a case related to the death of two children, and then released on bail. The preacher is also the subject of other proceedings, including involuntary homicide and terrorism. In January, he was indicted in a case involving an additional 52 bodies discovered in a neighboring village. The sentencing in the case of the 191 murders is expected on November 6.