MOMBASA, Kenya — The High Court in Mombasa on Monday convicted self-proclaimed pastor Paul Nthenge Mackenzie and 28 co-accused of 191 counts of murder linked to the Shakahola Forest deaths.
Lady Justice Diana Kavedza ruled that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt. The court found that Mackenzie and his associates operated an organised system of religious radicalisation and enforced fasting at the Good News International Ministries settlement in Shakahola, Kilifi County, between January 2021 and September 2023.
Of the 191 victims, 190 were children. One was an adult. Medical evidence presented in court attributed many of the deaths to starvation. Other causes included traumatic head injury, manual neck compression and asphyxia with features of starvation. The court rejected the defence claim that the victims had fasted voluntarily.
Justice Kavedza stated that the accused acted jointly to implement and sustain the fasting regime that resulted in the deaths. The court noted that followers were directed to relocate to the forest, subjected to isolation, and prevented from leaving by guards.
The prosecution called more than 120 witnesses. Evidence included forensic reports, DNA analysis, digital recordings and testimony from survivors, including children. Two of the original accused died during the trial. Another, Enos Amanya Ngala, had earlier pleaded guilty to all 191 counts and awaits sentencing.
Mackenzie and the 28 co-accused remain in custody. Sentencing is scheduled for 6 November 2026.
The Shakahola case remains one of Kenya’s deadliest cult-related tragedies. Over 400 bodies were previously recovered from mass graves in the forest. Separate charges relating to terrorism, radicalisation and child cruelty continue in other courts.
The Director of Public Prosecutions and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations both welcomed the convictions, describing them as a significant step toward accountability for the victims and their families.