Kenyan Court Convicts Preacher Over Deaths of 190 Children

For the families of the 191 people who died at Shakahola, including 190 children, a Kenyan court has delivered a verdict. Preacher Paul Nthenge Mackenzie and 28 others have been convicted over the deaths in Kilifi County.

The Mombasa High Court delivered the judgment on Monday. Justice Diana Kavedza-Mochache ruled that the deaths occurred under an organised system that used religious doctrines to impose and enforce deadly fasting.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) announced the convictions in a statement on its X handle and described the ruling as a landmark development.

‘The DCI welcomes the judgment as a significant milestone in the pursuit of justice for the victims and their families,’ the statement said. The agency called the verdict an important step towards securing that justice.

According to the DCI, the court found that religious teachings and a structured hierarchy were used to control followers and compel them to engage in extreme fasting that resulted in multiple deaths.

Followers were directed to move to Shakahola, where fasting was allegedly enforced in phases, starting with children. Guards were also said to have prevented followers from escaping the practice.

The court also found that Good News International Church, founded by Mackenzie in 2010, operated as a cult.

The church allegedly preached the imminent end of the world, discouraged followers from seeking medical treatment and education, isolated members and promoted extreme fasting as a pathway to heaven.

The convictions followed an extensive investigation and prosecution that relied on testimony from 123 witnesses, including child victims.

The DCI said their accounts were supported by digital recordings, forensic and medical reports, DNA analysis, physical exhibits and expert testimony.

Investigators documented bodies recovered from homesteads and mass graves during crime scene examinations. Medical findings established that 76 victims died from starvation, among other causes identified through 190 postmortem examinations.

The DCI said the court praised investigators for documenting crime scenes, conducting exhumations, carrying out forensic pathology examinations and preserving evidence. It noted that these efforts “laid a firm foundation for the administration of justice.”

The agency added that the case demonstrated the importance of comprehensive investigations, forensic expertise and evidence-based prosecutions in ensuring that those responsible for serious crimes are held accountable.