191 Murders, Nearly All of Them Children: Mackenzie Convicted
The court found that the pastor directed followers to starve their children, according to the BBC. Families still await identification of remains, while Kenya's ombudsman has faulted police and administrators for ignoring warnings.
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by Sami Haddad
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A Kenyan court convicted pastor Paul Mackenzie and 28 other religious leaders of 191 murders on October 19, bringing judgment in a case whose victims were almost all children.
The court in Mombasa found that Mackenzie directed followers to starve their children so they could "meet Jesus", according to the BBC. All but one of the 191 victims were children. The defendants had pleaded not guilty and maintained that nobody was forced to die.
The convictions establish criminal responsibility in the murder case, but families still face a separate wait to recover their relatives' remains. More than 400 bodies were discovered in shallow graves in Shakahola forest after Mackenzie's arrest in 2023, and many remain unidentified.
The BBC's account of the judgment describes children being ordered to die, followers being subjected to force and burials being given the language of celebration. Justice Diana Mochache said followers believed Mackenzie was "Jesus's mouthpiece", according to the broadcaster.
Mackenzie is due to be sentenced on November 6, 2026. He and other leaders also face cases concerning terrorism, radicalisation and denying children education, the BBC said.
