Kenyan Cult Leader, Paul Mackenzie, Accused of 191 Murders, Faces Charges

In Kenya, a cult leader named Paul Mackenzie has been charged with murder after authorities discovered over 400 bodies buried in shallow graves in a remote forest. Survivors and victims' families have revealed that Mackenzie encouraged his followers to fast in order to "go see Jesus." Alongside 29 others, Mackenzie pleaded not guilty in court. Previously, he had also been charged with acts of terror, child cruelty, and torture, all of which he denied. Law enforcement officials allege that some victims may have been strangled, suffocated, or beaten to death. The accused group has been charged with the murder of 191 people. One survivor, known as Neema, expressed fear towards Mackenzie, stating that she never wants to meet him. Neema had been a follower of the Good News International Church in Malindi until it was closed in 2019. When she learned that Mackenzie had relocated to the Shakahola forest with other church members, she followed him there in 2022. Shakahola is now heavily guarded by police and deemed a crime scene. According to Neema, once the followers arrived in the forest, they were not allowed to leave. Food and water were scarce, and the worshippers resorted to eating wild berries and drinking water from the ground. Neema and two friends managed to escape and seek help, but hundreds of others, including children, were not as fortunate. The cult leader's preaching turned towards fasting until followers "went to sleep," and women were instructed to join in. Local villagers started noticing the suspicious activities and reported emaciated teenagers seeking assistance, but there was a slow response from the authorities. Efforts to rescue the followers were met with opposition from the guards until the police provided an escort. Parents who lost their children discovered the horrifying fate they had suffered, with some identifying their deceased loved ones in mass graves. The cult preached against modern medicine and vaccination. Mackenzie and his alleged associates have been in police custody since April 2022. While he denies forcing anyone to starve, testimonies from survivors and evidence suggest otherwise. The identification of the bodies found in the forest is ongoing, causing anguish for many families still waiting for answers. Though justice is sought, one grieving father acknowledged that it cannot bring back his family.