429 dead in the forest

Cult leader on trial for murder in Kenya

The cult leader and self-proclaimed pastor Paul Nthenge Mackenzie stood trial in Kenya on Tuesday. He had already been arrested in April 2023 after hundreds of bodies were discovered in a forest. Both Mackenzie and 29 other defendants pleaded not guilty.

Post-mortems revealed that the majority of the 429 victims had died of starvation. Others, including children, appeared to have been strangled, beaten to death or suffocated. The case became known as the "Shakahola Forest Massacre" and led to the government announcing stricter laws against sects.

More than 4,000 churches are registered in Kenya, there are always self-appointed priests and alleged criminal communities founded by criminals. The "International Priesthoods of Good News" founded by Mackenzie are said to be one such organization.

Indictment for extreme teachings in 2017
The case raised the question of how Mackenzie was able to avoid prosecution for so long. The father of seven had already been charged in 2017 for his extreme teachings, but was not convicted. In 2019, an investigation was also opened into the deaths of two children who were apparently starved to death and then suffocated. At the time, he was released on bail until the trial began.

Now the cult leader has been charged with terrorism, manslaughter, murder and the torture and abuse of children (see video above). In addition to him, 29 other people are on trial, one more has currently been classified as unfit to stand trial and is due to appear before the judges in a month's time.