Paul Mackenzie Convicted of Murdering 191 in Cult Case

A court in Mombasa, Kenya, convicted self-proclaimed pastor Paul Mackenzie and 28 associates of murdering 191 people, mostly children, in a starvation cult associated with the Good News International Church. The verdict was delivered on October 16, with sentencing set for November 6.

Mackenzie and his associates were found guilty of directing followers to starve themselves and their children to attain entry into heaven before the world ended. The court dismissed Mackenzie's defense that he did not force the victims to starve.

Following Mackenzie's arrest in 2023, authorities discovered bodies in shallow graves in Shakahola Forest, revealing over 400 deaths linked to the cult. Investigations uncovered severe malnutrition and mass graves, prompting national outrage and calls for stricter regulations on religious organizations.

Family members of the victims attended the court session, with Francis Wanje, who lost eight relatives, expressing the psychological toll on his family.