Paul Mackenzie Found Guilty of Murdering 191 People

 written by Muhammed Yahya

Paul Mackenzie Found Guilty of 191 Murders in Kenya

A Kenyan court has found preacher Paul Nthenge Mackenzie and 28 co-accused guilty of murdering 191 people, including 190 children, in a case linked to a religious group whose followers were encouraged to starve themselves to reach heaven.

The verdict was delivered on October 19, 2026, in a case that drew international attention after hundreds of bodies were discovered in shallow graves in Shakahola Forest, in Kenya’s coastal Kilifi County.

Justice Diana Kavedza Mochache rejected the defence argument that the victims had voluntarily fasted to death, finding the accused guilty of the murder charges brought against them.

The convictions mark a major development in one of Kenya’s most disturbing cases of deaths linked to religious extremism.

Court Rejects Defence Over Voluntary Fasting 

Mackenzie, founder of the Good News International Church, was accused of promoting apocalyptic teachings that encouraged followers to starve themselves and their children so they could meet Jesus before the end of the world.

Prosecutors presented evidence that the fasting was part of an organised system, with religious authority and a hierarchy used to direct and enforce the practice.

The defence had maintained that followers chose to fast voluntarily. The court rejected that explanation in finding Mackenzie and the 28 other defendants guilty.

Evidence presented during the proceedings included accounts from survivors and witnesses describing children being denied food and people who resisted the instructions facing violence.

The verdict establishes criminal responsibility for the 191 deaths covered by the murder charges. Mackenzie and some associates have also faced separate proceedings connected to other alleged offences.

Witnesses Describe the Treatment of Children

Testimony presented in connection with the case described the suffering of children and parents who were caught up in the group’s teachings.

One co-accused reportedly described instructions to use physical violence against people who resisted fasting. Other testimony concerned a pregnant woman who was allegedly prevented from nursing her newborn, with the baby dying 12 days later.

The accounts highlighted the vulnerability of children and the extent to which religious instructions could influence decisions involving food, medical treatment and family care.

The case also involved allegations that members were discouraged from seeking medical assistance. Survivor Peter Shukrani said his mother discarded his medication because she believed Mackenzie’s teachings that medicine was evil.

Shukrani said he believed he would have died if rescuers had not reached him.

Despite his experience, he also reportedly expressed continued affection for Mackenzie, illustrating the complicated relationships some survivors maintained with the preacher and his teachings.

More Than 400 Bodies Found in Shakahola Forest

The case came to wider public attention in 2023, when authorities began investigating reports of missing people and discovered shallow graves in Shakahola Forest.

More than 400 bodies have since been recovered from the area. The 191 murder convictions relate to a specific group of deaths prosecuted in court, rather than the entire number of bodies discovered.

The discoveries prompted a major investigation into the group’s activities, its leadership structure and the circumstances that allowed the deaths to continue.

The case raised serious questions about the protection of vulnerable people, the treatment of children and the ability of authorities to intervene when religious teachings expose followers to danger.

Families Remember the Victims

For relatives of those who died, the verdict brought a measure of relief after years of uncertainty and grief.

Stephen Mwiti, who said all six of his children died in Shakahola Forest, welcomed the convictions. He said he had only recovered and buried the remains of his son, Samuel.

His account reflects the continuing pain faced by families who lost children and other relatives in the tragedy.

Workers involved in the recovery operation also described the difficult conditions in which bodies were found. Their accounts conveyed the scale of the operation and the challenge of identifying victims and returning remains to their families.

The human cost of the case extends beyond the courtroom, with relatives continuing to cope with loss and unanswered questions about the fate of loved ones.

Mackenzie’s Son Also Condemns the Killings

In a striking development, Mackenzie’s son, Dan Paul Mackenzie, reportedly described his father as a mass murderer, saying people had looked up to him as their leader.

His reported comments add another dimension to the case, which has involved not only criminal allegations against the preacher and his associates but also questions about authority, loyalty and the influence of religious leaders over their followers.

Mackenzie had denied forcing people to starve, but the court rejected the defence presented in the murder trial.

What Happens Next?

The convictions represent a major legal milestone, but the wider Shakahola investigation and related proceedings extend beyond the 191 murder counts.

Mackenzie and his co-accused were scheduled to be sentenced on November 6, 2026, according to reports published after the verdict.

The case has intensified calls for stronger safeguards to protect children and vulnerable people from dangerous practices carried out under religious authority.

For the families of the victims, however, the verdict cannot undo the loss. It does establish the court’s finding of criminal responsibility for the deaths covered by the trial and marks a significant step in the pursuit of accountability for the Shakahola tragedy.