Kenyan Pastor Paul Nthenge Mackenzie, along with his wife and 93 accomplices, has been charged with manslaughter in connection with the deaths of 429 members, including children, of his Good News International Church. The charges were filed at the Mombasa law court on January 23.
All 95 accused, including Mackenzie, pleaded not guilty to the 238 counts of manslaughter allegedly committed between January 2021 and February 2023.
The bodies of the deceased were discovered in dozens of shallow graves on an 800-acre ranch in the Shakahola Forest in the coastal county of Kilifi. Autopsies revealed that some victims died from starvation, strangulation, or suffocation.
The charges against the self-acclaimed pastor include terrorism-related crimes, as he is accused of inciting his followers to starve themselves to death so they could “meet Jesus.”
The case has gained international attention, and Mackenzie is set to undergo a mental health assessment to determine his fitness for the murder trial.
The court described Mackenzie’s Good News International Ministries as an “organized criminal group” engaged in criminal activities that led to the deaths of 429 members.
The prosecution in both Mombasa and Malindi plans to charge the 95 individuals with counts of manslaughter and torture.
