Kenya’s Shakahola cult leader faces verdict for mass starvation deaths
A Kenyan court is expected to deliver its verdict on Monday in the trial of Paul Mackenzie and associates, accused of causing the deaths of 191 people, mostly children, through starvation in the Shakahola cult massacre. The case arose after the 2023 discovery of hundreds of bodies in shallow graves near Malindi. Mackenzie denies the charges, and the trial has included testimony from over 120 witnesses. The verdict is highly anticipated by victims' families and has reignited calls for stricter regulation of religious groups in Kenya.
Brève Publié le (Africa/Lagos, UTC+1) · mis à jour le (v2)
A Kenyan court is set to deliver its verdict on Monday in the trial of Paul Mackenzie, the self-proclaimed preacher accused of orchestrating a mass starvation that led to the deaths of 191 people, most of them children.
The case follows the 2023 discovery of hundreds of bodies buried in shallow graves in Shakahola Forest, near the coastal town of Malindi. Prosecutors allege that Mackenzie encouraged his followers to starve themselves to death to meet Jesus, with children targeted first.
More than 400 bodies have been recovered in the area, though some victims remain unidentified. Mackenzie and his associates have pleaded not guilty, with defense lawyers arguing that the prosecution’s case relies heavily on circumstantial evidence and inconclusive forensic findings.
The trial has heard testimony from over 120 witnesses about events between 2021 and 2023. The tragedy sparked public outrage and renewed calls for tighter oversight of religious organizations in Kenya.
In addition to murder charges, Mackenzie faces separate manslaughter and terrorism charges, which he denies. The verdict is closely watched by victims’ families seeking justice nearly three years after the mass graves were uncovered.
Mise à jour, 19 Oct 2026, 10h30 (Africa/Lagos, UTC+1) : Updated with latest confirmation of verdict date and reinforced details from two recent Africanews reports on the trial of Paul Mackenzie and associates.