Kenya: Pastor Paul Mackenzie Found Guilty in 191 Deaths

On October 19, a court in Mombasa found pastor Paul Nthenge Mackenzie and 28 co-defendants guilty of murder in the Shakahola massacre case. The head of the Good News International Church had led hundreds of followers to fast in the Shakahola forest, promising they would join Jesus in paradise if they starved to death. Authorities have exhumed more than 400 bodies since the tragedy was uncovered in April 2023, while the trial concerned 191 deaths. The court rejected claims that victims had freely chosen to starve, citing indoctrination and food deprivation, including of children.