MOMBASA, Kenya – Controversial preacher Paul Nthenge Mackenzie and 30 co-accused are set to learn their fate on Monday as the High Court prepares to deliver a verdict in a murder case involving 191 children linked to the Shakahola tragedy.
Justice Diana Kavedza is scheduled to deliver the judgment at the Mombasa High Court at 9.30am, according to a Judiciary media advisory.
The case stems from activities linked to Mackenzie’s Good News International Church, which came under intense scrutiny in April 2023 after authorities discovered mass graves in Shakahola Forest, Kilifi County.
Investigators alleged that followers were encouraged to starve themselves to death in the belief that they would meet Jesus. The discoveries triggered a major search and exhumation operation that exposed one of Kenya’s most devastating mass-death investigations.
The accused face the court’s determination of whether the prosecution proved the murder charges against them. They remain entitled to the presumption of innocence unless found guilty.
Shakahola Death Toll Reached 448
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) documented 448 deaths in its Mashaka ya Shakahola report released in March 2024. More than 600 people were also reported missing.
The commission said fewer than 10 per cent of the bodies had been identified and handed over to families for burial, highlighting the scale of the identification and recovery challenges.
Forensic teams carried out exhumations and examinations to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths and identify victims.
According to the KNCHR investigation, autopsy findings and accounts from survivors and witnesses pointed to starvation, strangulation, head injuries and dehydration among the causes and circumstances of death.
The commission also criticised state agencies for failing to respond adequately to earlier warnings about Mackenzie’s activities.
Court Found Accused Had A Case To Answer
In April, Justice Kavedza ruled that Mackenzie and his co-accused had a case to answer, directing them to present their defence.
The ruling meant the prosecution had established a prima facie case, the threshold required for the trial to proceed to the defence stage. It was not a finding of guilt.
The trial heard testimony from survivors, relatives of victims, investigators and forensic experts. Prosecutors also presented postmortem findings and other evidence gathered during investigations into the deaths.
The prosecution relied on the doctrine of common intention, alleging that the accused acted together towards a shared objective that resulted in the deaths.
The defence was subsequently heard before the court reserved its judgment.
Shakahola Tragedy Raised Questions Over State Response
Beyond the criminal proceedings, the Shakahola discoveries prompted wider scrutiny of religious organisations, the regulation of harmful practices and the government’s response to warnings about potential abuse.
In its report, the KNCHR concluded that the state had failed to protect citizens from harm, citing missed opportunities to act on earlier warnings, delays in investigations and shortcomings in support for survivors and affected families.
The commission called for accountability among officials whose actions or omissions may have contributed to the tragedy, alongside improved rehabilitation and support for survivors.
The High Court’s verdict will determine the outcome of the murder case involving the 191 children, while the wider Shakahola investigation remains a defining test of accountability, victim identification and the protection of vulnerable people in Kenya.
