Cult Leader Convicted of Deaths of Nearly 200 Children

A self-proclaimed pastor who convinced his followers to starve themselves and their children in preparation for the end of the world has been found guilty of murder in one of the deadliest cult-related tragedies in modern history.

Paul Mackenzie, the leader of Kenya’s Good News International Church, was convicted Monday, October 19, alongside 28 other defendants in connection with the deaths of 190 children and one adult.

The verdict came more than three years after investigators began uncovering hundreds of bodies buried in shallow graves in the Shakahola Forest, a remote area near Kenya’s Indian Ocean coast.

Authorities have recovered more than 400 bodies from the forest since April 2023, exposing a tragedy that shocked the nation and raised serious questions about how the religious group operated for years without being stopped.

During a court hearing lasting more than eight hours, Justice Diana Kavedza Mochache ruled that Mackenzie and his associates had established an organized system of religious manipulation and enforced fasting that led to the deaths of their followers.

According to prosecutors, Mackenzie preached that the world was ending and convinced members of his congregation that starving themselves would allow them to reach heaven and meet Jesus.

The court heard that children were deliberately targeted first, followed by women and younger men, with other members expected to fast afterward.

Some children were kept isolated and denied food while their parents watched, according to evidence presented during the trial.

Mackenzie denied ordering anyone to starve and maintained that followers had made their own decisions. However, the court rejected his defense and found all 29 defendants guilty of murder.

The tragedy began attracting police attention in March 2023, when a man reported that relatives had starved their children in the forest after following Mackenzie’s teachings.

Police initially arrested the preacher, but he was released on bail. Authorities detained him again in April as investigators began searching the forest and discovering numerous burial sites.

The scale of the deaths quickly became apparent.

Many victims had been buried in remote areas of the forest, and the condition of their remains made identification extremely difficult. Investigators have been able to identify only a small number of the recovered bodies.

Prosecutors also described how Mackenzie discouraged his followers from sending their children to school or seeking medical care, portraying hospitals and educational institutions as contrary to his religious teachings.

The former taxi driver established the Good News International Church in 2003 and eventually moved his followers into the Shakahola Forest after authorities shut down his church premises in 2019.

Despite earlier warnings and police investigations dating back to 2017, the group continued operating.

The failures prompted widespread criticism of Kenyan authorities, with President William Ruto acknowledging in 2023 that government agencies should have done more to prevent the tragedy.

For families who lost loved ones, Monday’s verdict brought a measure of relief after years of uncertainty.

Francis Wanje, 62, who lost eight relatives, including two grandchildren, told Reuters that the judgment restored some of his confidence in the justice system.

He also urged people to be cautious of religious organizations that exploit their followers.

Kenya’s director of public prosecutions, Renson Ingonga, welcomed the verdict outside the courthouse in Mombasa, describing it as an important outcome for the victims and their families.

Mackenzie and the other convicted defendants are scheduled to be sentenced November 6. Their attorney, Lawrence Obonyo, said he has been instructed to appeal the convictions.

The legal proceedings are far from over.

Mackenzie faces separate charges, including terrorism-related offenses, and has also been accused of directing additional deaths while already in custody.

In February 2026, prosecutors brought charges connected to 52 deaths discovered in Kwa Binzaro, approximately 18 miles from Shakahola. Mackenzie has pleaded not guilty in that case.

Investigations into other deaths connected to the forest are continuing, meaning additional proceedings could follow.

The case has intensified calls for stronger oversight of religious organizations in Kenya while raising difficult questions about how authorities can protect vulnerable people from coercive groups without restricting legitimate religious freedom.