— By Michael Akinola | Premier World News
MOMBASA, Kenya – A Kenyan court has convicted self-proclaimed preacher Paul Mackenzie and 28 co-defendants of murdering 191 people, including 190 children and one adult, in the Shakahola starvation-cult case that shocked the country and drew international attention.
The High Court in Mombasa delivered the verdict on Monday, October 19, 2026, finding that Mackenzie, leader of the Good News International Church, and the other defendants were responsible for deaths linked to an organised fasting regime imposed on followers in coastal Kenya.
The court rejected the defence’s position that the victims had voluntarily fasted to death.
The case arose from the discovery in 2023 of hundreds of bodies in shallow graves in Shakahola Forest, in Kilifi County, near the coastal town of Malindi.
More than 400 bodies have since been recovered in the wider investigation, making the case one of Kenya’s most devastating recent criminal investigations.
Prosecutors said Mackenzie used religious teachings to persuade followers to starve themselves and their children in the belief that death would enable them to meet Jesus.
The court found that the defendants participated in a system that enforced extreme fasting and led to the deaths covered by the 191 murder charges.
The prosecution presented evidence concerning the deaths of children and adults in the isolated settlement.
Investigators and prosecutors reported that many of the children died from starvation, while some victims showed signs of other forms of violence.
Mackenzie and his co-defendants had denied the murder charges.
The convictions mark a significant development in a case that has fuelled public debate in Kenya about oversight of religious organisations and the protection of vulnerable people.
The discovery of the mass graves prompted renewed scrutiny of how Mackenzie had continued operating despite previous encounters with law enforcement.
The case also intensified calls for stronger safeguards against religious exploitation and for authorities to respond more effectively to warning signs of abuse.
The murder case is separate from other proceedings in which Mackenzie faces additional charges, including terrorism-related offences.
Those cases have not been resolved by Monday’s murder verdict.
According to reports from the proceedings, a mitigation hearing is scheduled for October 30, with sentencing expected on November 6, 2026.
