At least 110 members of their congregation—many of whom are thought to have starved to death—have died, and two pastors stationed in coastal Kenya have testified in court about it.
Paul Nthenge Mackenzie, a self-styled pastor who founded the Good News International Church in 2003 and is accused of encouraging followers to starve to death “to meet Jesus,” made an appearance in court in Malindi.
In connection with the discovery of more than 100 bodies buried in what has come to be known as the “Shakahola forest massacre,” he will be charged with terrorism, according to the prosecution.
Mackenzie, clad in a pink and black jacket and brown pants, was carried in by roughly six police officers, along with eight other defendants, as the small courtroom was crowded with victims’ family members.
Following a brief hearing, the case was transferred to the high court in Mombasa, Kenya’s second-largest city, where the suspects will be accused of supporting terrorism, according to prosecutor Vivian Kambaga.
Kambaga requested that the case be transferred to the high court while the hearing was taking place in Malindi. “There is a court (in Mombasa) that is gazetted to handle cases under the prevention of terrorism act,” Kambaga stated.
On his land in Kilifi County, more than 100 corpses had been excavated from dozens of mass graves. Children are thought to be among the deceased, though the exact number is unknown because some of the remains are in bad shape.
The reasons of death for 40 of the victims discovered on Mackenzie’s farm were determined through autopsies, and they included malnutrition, strangling, and asphyxia.
The higher court has given the go-ahead for Mackenzie’s detention until Friday, when a request to keep him for a further 30 days pending terrorism investigations will be heard.
After weeks on the run, his wife Rhoda Maweu was captured on Monday night from a hideout in the seaside village of Mtwapa.
Mackenzie’s history with the police
Due to the murders of children in his church, Mackenzie was charged in 2017. He shut down the church in 2019 and relocated to a ranch in Kilifi county’s woodland area, where hundreds of families had constructed homes.
At this point, one of his followers reportedly informed The Associated Press, a plot to starve to death in order to see Jesus was concocted, and his disciples began passing away.
Prior to the police starting their investigation in April and the discovery of mass graves at the ranch, human rights organisations had been raising the alarm for months.
Police are already conducting search and rescue operations on the 800-acre (325-hectare) property as well as at an adjacent ranch with much more space. According to Coast Regional Commissioner Rhoda Onyancha, 48 people have so far been saved alive, and 24 people have been arrested.
Even though the government ordered a dusk-to-dawn curfew in the area and redeployed all senior police commanders to make room for an extensive investigation, the operation to search for additional bodies has halted.
At the dock, Ezekiel Odero
The same county as Mackenzie’s church, Pastor Ezekiel Odero has also appeared in court. He will be held for a further two days while the enquiry is conducted.
In connection with the deaths of scores of his members at his megachurch, which draws tens of thousands of visitors from throughout the nation, Odero was detained last week.
Also being looked into is his connections to Mackenzie.
In prosecution records, prosecutors claim that Odero and Mackenzie are connected because they have a “history of business investments,” which includes a television station that broadcasts “radicalized messages” to followers.
2019 saw Mackenzie close his church, and Odero later acquired a television station from him.
Odero expressed his desire to “strongly disassociate” himself from Mackenzie and his teachings in a document submitted to the court.
On Tuesday, a big group of his supporters gathered outside the court and prayed for his release.