A Kenyan magistrate sparked drama in a Mombasa courtroom on Tuesday when he ordered emergency medical care for the main suspect in a doomsday cult, Paul Mackenzie, and 94 of his followers. The group appeared gaunt and weak, raising concerns about a possible hunger strike and prompting questions about the tragic events surrounding their church.
The suspects, facing 238 counts of manslaughter, were brought before Chief Magistrate Alex Ithuku. However, their condition caused alarm. Ithuku, noting their inability to even stand or open their eyes, directed their immediate transfer to the hospital for evaluation. This decision came after a four-and-a-half-hour reading of the charges, to which all pleaded not guilty.
Mackenzie, leader of the Good News International Church, and his followers stand accused of causing the deaths of 429 church members between January 2021 and September 2023. Prosecutors allege many starved themselves to death, believing they would encounter Jesus before the apocalypse.
This comes on the heels of earlier charges against Mackenzie and 94 others for the murders of 191 children, mostly unidentified. Police discovered their bodies in shallow graves at a remote ranch following the rescue of 15 malnourished church members who revealed Mackenzie’s alleged fasting instructions. Tragically, four of the rescued members died afterward. Autopsy results confirmed starvation, strangulation, or suffocation as the causes of death for some recovered bodies.
The Kenyan government plans to resume searching for more bodies in the Shakahola Forest starting March, led by chief pathologist Dr. Johansen Oduor. This case casts a shadow on religious practices and highlights the need for vigilance against harmful beliefs. The legal proceedings and search for answers continue as Kenya grapples with this disturbing chapter.
