Kenya court convicts Mackenzie of murder in 191 deaths

Kenya's Mombasa Law Court found Paul Mackenzie guilty of murder over the deaths of 191 people on October 19, 2026. The victims in the case were 190 children and one adult. Mackenzie is a self-proclaimed pastor associated with the Good News International Church. Al Jazeera

Prosecutors said Mackenzie ordered followers to starve themselves and their children to death to go to heaven before the world ended and "meet Jesus". Mackenzie told the court he did not force victims to starve. The court dismissed that claim in convicting him.

Police arrested Mackenzie in 2023 after receiving a tip-off. Authorities then uncovered bodies in shallow graves in Shakahola Forest near the coast in southeastern Kenya. The forest became the central site in the investigation.

Mackenzie and his co-defendants pleaded not guilty. They denied other charges including terrorism, radicalisation, and preventing children from attaining education. The murder verdict addresses the deaths of the 191 victims named in that count.

The conviction follows earlier court action tied to the Shakahola deaths. In January 2024, Mackenzie and 94 others were charged with terrorism-related crimes linked to the deaths of 429 people, according to Reuters. In February 2024, Mackenzie and 29 associates were charged with murder in connection with 191 deaths, Reuters reported. In February 2026, Mackenzie and seven others were issued with new charges over the deaths of 52 people, Reuters reported.