A Kenyan court has found self-proclaimed pastor Paul Mackenzie and 29 of his accomplices guilty of murder in connection with the tragic deaths of 190 children and one adult linked to the Shakahola Forest massacre.
The judgment, handed down on Monday, addresses 191 specific fatalities tied to the Good News International Church. State prosecutors presented evidence showing that Mackenzie instructed his followers to endure extreme starvation alongside their children, assuring them that doing so would allow them to “meet Jesus.”
Although Mackenzie denied forcing anyone to starve during the trial, the court rejected his defense arguments.
The tragic affair came to light in 2023 when security authorities discovered multiple mass graves hidden deep inside Kilifi County’s Shakahola Forest. Exhumation efforts have since uncovered more than 400 bodies, marking the incident as one of the most horrific cult-related tragedies in modern history.
The prosecution received crucial assistance during the trial from Enos Amanya Ngala, Mackenzie’s former head of security. Initially charged as a primary suspect, Ngala subsequently entered into a plea agreement with the state and testified as a key prosecution witness.
While Monday’s verdict concludes the trial concerning these 191 victims, police investigators and legal authorities are maintaining active inquiries into the remaining deaths linked to the remote forest enclave.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana