By Forum staff writer
Kenyan prosecutors have announced that cult leader Paul Mackenzie will face new charges linked to the deaths of 52 additional people, following further investigations into a second village connected to the Shakahola tragedy.
Mackenzie, a pastor based in the coastal region of Kenya, was arrested in 2023 after authorities uncovered one of the country’s worst cult related disasters. At least 429 bodies, including many children, were exhumed from mass graves in the Shakahola forest in Kilifi County. Investigators say the victims were followers who had been persuaded to starve themselves in order to meet what Mackenzie described as a path to salvation.
According to prosecutors, fresh evidence has now emerged linking Mackenzie to the deaths of 52 more followers at another location. The new charges are expected to be filed in court soon, adding to the long list of cases already pending against him.
Despite being in custody since his arrest, investigators allege that Mackenzie continued to exert influence over his followers. Prosecutors claim he wrote messages from prison encouraging members of the sect to continue fasting, actions they say directly contributed to the deaths of the latest victims.
Mackenzie has pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of manslaughter and other related offences. His legal team has consistently denied the accusations, arguing that the deaths were not directly caused by him and that some followers acted on their own beliefs.
The Shakahola case has shocked Kenya and drawn international attention to the dangers of unregulated religious movements. Many of the victims were reportedly sold their belongings and cut off contact with family members before moving to remote areas where food and medical care were deliberately avoided.
In response to the tragedy, the Kenyan government has launched a wider crackdown on extremist religious groups. Authorities have also begun reviewing laws governing churches and religious organisations, with the aim of preventing similar incidents in the future.
Families of the victims continue to demand justice, saying those responsible must be held fully accountable. For many, the announcement of additional charges offers a renewed sense of hope that the full scale of the tragedy will be addressed in court.
As investigations continue, prosecutors say more charges are possible, depending on the outcome of ongoing forensic and witness examinations. Mackenzie remains in custody as the legal process moves forward.
Source: BBC
