Paul Nthenge Mackenzie, a controversial preacher, appeared in court on Friday in connection with the killings of over one hundred people whose bodies were found in mass graves in Shakahola Malindi. The incident, which has been dubbed the ” Shakahola forest massacre, ” has left many people in Kenya and neighboring countries shaken. Mackenzie, the founder of Good News International Church, is accused of encouraging his followers to starve themselves as a way to ” meet Jesus” and is also being charged with terrorism for his actions.
Along with 17 other defendants, he made an appearance in court accompanied by his family and escorted by police officers. However, while in court, Mackenzie, his wife Rhoda Mumbua Maweu, and 16 other co- accused people lodged objections against the police for allegedly not providing them with any food while they were in custody. The two individuals claimed that there was no food available to them in the cells, despite the fact that they had not consumed anything since their detention.
According to investigators, the other accused were members of an armed ” enforcer gang” tasked with ensuring that no one broke their fast or made it out of the woodland hideaway alive. Although malnutrition was the primary cause of death, autopsies performed on the one hundred corpses revealed that some of the victims, including children, were beaten, strangled, or choked to death.
To complete their investigation, the prosecution wants to keep Mackenzie in custody for an additional ninety days. Ezekiel Odero, the founder of New Life Prayer Centre and Church, and a prominent televangelist, was taken into custody in connection with the investigation but was released on bond after an appearance in court the previous week.
So far, 109 fatalities have been confirmed, with most of the casualties being young people. Odero is being investigated for several offenses, including murder, assisting in a suicide, kidnapping, radicalization, crimes against humanity, child abuse, fraud, and money laundering. The prosecution believes that there is credible evidence linking the remains unearthed at Shakahola to Odero’ s church.
by: mbevimbevi