Shakahola massacre: Mackenzie, 29 others charged with murder of 191 children

Self-proclaimed pastor Paul Mackenzie, the main suspect in the Shakahola massacre of at least 429 people, was on Tuesday charged with the murder of 191 children.

Mackenzie was charged alongside 29 other suspects before Malindi High Court Judge Mugure Thande.

Judge Thande last month ordered that the suspects undergo mental examinations to establish their readiness for trial.

In court on Tuesday, the prosecution, led by Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Victor Mule, reported that 30 out of 31 suspects were found fit to stand trial, the exception being Evans Kolombe Sirya. The team asked for a 30-day allowance for him to undergo a second mental test before his fate is determined.

The plea-taking kicked off with Justice Thande directing that the charges be jointly read to all the accused persons as the counts they face are many. The judge further directed those who would plead guilty to raise their hands. All the 30 accused persons jointly pleaded not guilty to the 191 counts of murder.

The suspects allegedly committed the offences on unknown dates between January 2021 and September 2023 in the Shakahola area in Malindi, where Mackenzie's alleged cult gathered, under the umbrella of the Good News International Ministries.

Judge Thande heard that some of the murdered children were named while others only had initials as they were unidentified by investigators. The court also heard that the genders of some of the murdered children were unknown.

The defence counsels filed preliminary objections to the number of counts against their clients.

The prosecution opposed the release of the accused persons on bond, an application who hearing was deferred until the court hears and determines the preliminary objection.

Judge Thande directed the defence to file and serve its preliminary objections by February 13, 2024 and the prosecution to serve and file its  response by February 20, 2024.

The court also ruled that Mackenzie's wife, Rhoda Mumbwa Maweu, is no longer a suspect in a related case. She was charged with cruelty and torture against children before the Tononoka Children's Court, and terror-related charges at the Shanzu Law Courts

Mumbwa may face additional charges as more bodies in the Malindi morgue are identified.

The case against Mackenzie and his 29 co-accused will be mentioned on March 7, 2024.

The self-proclaimed pastor, who has already been charged with terrorism and manslaughter, is alleged to have incited his followers to starve to death to "meet Jesus" in a case that provoked horror across the world.

Mackenzie was arrested last April after bodies were discovered in the Shakahola forest in Kilifi County. Autopsies revealed that the majority of the 429 victims died of hunger, but others, including children, appeared to have been strangled, beaten, or suffocated.

The charge sheet from the Tononoka Children's Court alleged that the offences occurred between 2019 and 2023 in the Shakahola forest where Mackenzie's cult gathered. The accused "wilfully and intentionally" denied food to children as young as six years old and whipped others with thorny sticks, the court documents stated.

Apart from abuse and neglect, some children were also removed from school and denied their right to an education, it added.

Mackenzie has also pleaded not guilty to terrorism and manslaughter.

Developments in the Shakahola massacre include the government's declaration last week that Good News International Ministries, the church led by Mackenzie, is an "organised criminal group".