Kenyan Cult Leader Convicted of Murdering 191 Followers

A Kenyan court convicted self-proclaimed pastor Paul Mackenzie and 28 associates of murdering 191 people, including 190 children, in the Shakahola starvation cult case.

The court rejected the defense's argument that the victims voluntarily fasted to death. Hundreds of bodies have been discovered since 2023 at the cult's base in Shakahola Forest, with over 400 recovered in total. Many victims died from starvation, but post-mortems also indicated asphyxia, neck compression, and traumatic head injury. The prosecution stated that children were ordered to die first, followed by teenagers, women, and then men.

Mackenzie was arrested in 2023 after a tip-off, and authorities began uncovering bodies in shallow graves. He had been arrested twice previously but was released. Sentencing for the convicted individuals is scheduled for November 6. Mackenzie faces separate charges of manslaughter and terrorism. Relatives of victims were present in court, with one stating the day was very, very important and expected the ruling to serve as a lesson.