Kenya Pastor Paul Mackenzie Convicted of 191 Murders After Followers Starved to Death in Cult
A Kenyan court convicted pastor Paul Mackenzie of 191 murder charges on October 20, 2026, after members of his Good News International Church starved to death following his instructions. Sentencing is scheduled for November 6, 2026. The case drew international attention to the dangers of religious extremism in East Africa.
A Kenyan court convicted pastor Paul Mackenzie of 191 murder charges on October 20, 2026. Mackenzie led the Good News International Church in Malindi, Kenya. He instructed followers to fast until death, telling them it was the path to meeting Jesus. Of the 191 victims, 190 were children.
The bodies were discovered in mass graves in the Shakahola Forest in Kilifi County in 2023. Investigators found more than 400 bodies in total. Mackenzie was arrested in April 2023 after police began excavating the site.
Prosecutors argued that Mackenzie used his religious authority to manipulate followers into starvation. Survivors testified that he preached that food was sinful and that dying of hunger was a form of spiritual sacrifice.
The court found Mackenzie guilty on all 191 counts. Sentencing hearings are set to begin November 6, 2026. Prosecutors are seeking the maximum penalty under Kenyan law.
Human rights groups called the verdict a landmark moment for accountability in cases of religious abuse. The case prompted Kenya's parliament to consider new legislation regulating religious organizations and requiring registration of church leaders.
Mackenzie had previously been arrested in 2017 on charges related to radicalizing children, but those charges were dropped. Critics say authorities missed earlier warning signs about his teachings.
The Good News International Church had operated for years in coastal Kenya before the mass deaths came to light. Mackenzie had a following of several hundred people at the height of his ministry.
