Paul Nthenge Mackenzie, self-proclaimed pastor behind Kenya starvation cult goes on trial
Paul Nthenge Mackenzie
Paul Nthenge Mackenzie, the cult leader behind one of the worst cult-related tragedies in the world, went on trial Monday (August 12) in Kenya. The self-proclaimed pastor is behind the death of nearly 450 people whose bodies were discovered in theShakahola forest last year.
Speaking to AFP, prosecutor Alexander Jami Yamina revealed that the cult leader is set to be charged under a Kenyan law dealing with suicide pacts.
"There has never been a manslaughter case like this in Kenya...This is going to be a very unique manslaughter case," said the prosecutor.
Also read |After navy warships, US orders submarine deployment in Middle East amid Israel-Iran war threat
Starvation cult
Mackenzie, the self-proclaimed pastor, was the leader of a Kenyan starvation sect. He allegedly incited hundreds of his followers to starve to death in order to "meet Jesus".
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
National Handloom Day 2026: From Alia Bhatt to Samantha Ruth Prabhu; Actresses who celebrated India's textile heritage as brides
)
The Royals enter the Doctor Who universe: King Charles and Queen Camilla beam into Commonwealth Games in TARDIS
)
Unitree Robotics targets $9 billion valuation in landmark IPO backed by DeepSeek and Tencent
)
India names 27 sites in Arunachal Pradesh
)
Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata OTT: When will Kangana Ranaut's film stream online?
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
How many soldiers operate one S-400 battery?
)
Shakib Al Hasan ready to return to Bangladesh—under one condition
)
‘Fake news’: MEA rejects report claiming India sought defence pact with Israel after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey deal
)
Rockstar to unveil GTA 6 extended look ahead of November launch
)
Russia forms Ukrainian Volunteer Spetsnaz Brigade to fight Ukraine
)
Drug-resistant fungus that hides in hair and enters bloodstream reported in 23 US states
)
Technology transfer deal boosts India's defence manufacturing ambitions
)
Border row erupts in Europe after Ceuta crossings, Spain imposes border controls on Italy
)
Morale plummets on USS Abraham Lincoln: Are US sailors reaching a breaking point? | GRAVITAS
)
'Security can't be bought with Pakistan, Turkey deal': Iran tells Saudi Arabia
)
Baba Vanga's 2026 prophecy: 2 predictions 'already came true', 3 terrifying ones remain. Details inside
)
Colombia’s new president Abelardo de la Espriella vows to ‘defeat narco-terrorists’, signals hardline shift
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
New Friday OTT releases (August 7, 2026): Operation Safed Sagar, Vadhandhi, Main Vaapis Aaunga- 6 movies and TV shows on Netflix, Prime Video and more
)
Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth scripts history as Indian Air Force gets its first woman ‘Top Gun’ pilot
)
RSS says Gen Z protests reflect genuine distress
)
Trump says Iranian school bombing photos could be AI-generated - 'I don’t think...'
)
IAF officer held for sharing sensitive information in 'honey trap' case, booked under Official Secrets Act
)
Stray Kids under scrutiny? Fans react to Grammy submission silence after BTS boycott
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI doesn't need external fuel tanks to fly vast distances
)
Jugal Hansraj reunites with Shekhar Kapur after 40 years for Masoom: The Next Generation
)
New speed limits, automatic challans: Big traffic change coming to Delhi-Meerut Expressway. All you need to know
)
India officially names 27 places in Arunachal to counter China's renaming claims
)
Trump calls White House ballroom ruling a 'national disgrace' as court says Congress approval needed
)
US sanctions Iran’s crypto network after Strait of Hormuz attacks, offers $15m bounty for intel on IRGC finance
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI is one of the heaviest fighters ever built
)
Uttarakhand young innovator builds India's own flying vehicle, conducts first test flight: WATCH
)
Chilling video shows students take cover as teen opens fire at Thai school
)
Reese Witherspoon's father hospitalised after poolside incident in Nashville: Report
Mackenzie set up the Good News International Church in 2003 but closed it in 2019. He then moved to the scene of the tragedy: Shakahola forest, to prepare for the end of the world, which he predicted would happen in August 2023.
He was arrested in April last year after several bodies of his followers were discovered in the Shakahola forest.
A thorough search of the forest that lies inland from the Indian Ocean town of Malindi revealed 448 bodies over months.
Buried in mass graves, most of the nearly 450 victims died of hunger, revealed the autopsies. However, others, including children, appeared to have been strangled, beaten, or suffocated. Some even had their organs removed, revealed court documents.
Also read |Secret Service apologizes for breaking into salon, using restroom during Kamala Harris event
When will the trial end?
Paul Nthenge Mackenzie, the self-proclaimed pastor behind this tragedy that shocked Kenya and the world, will be on trial for four days. As per an AFP report, the hearing is scheduled to run till Thursday (Aug 15).
Prosecutors have prepared at least 420 witnesses.
"Due to the gravity of the case, we have prepared well," said prosecutor Alexander Jami Yamina. Some witnesses will present testimonies in camera.
Suspects, including Mackenzie, face charges of terrorism over the Shakahola massacre. They also face separate cases of murder, child torture and cruelty relating to the deaths, which prosecutors say occurred over the years 2020 to 2023.
(With inputs from agencies)
