A Kenyan court has granted prosecutors a two-week window to conduct mental health assessments on a cult leader, Paul Nthenge Mackenzie, and suspected accomplices before charging them with the murder of over 400 followers.
Mackenzie, a self-proclaimed pastor, is accused of inciting his followers to starve themselves to death with the belief that it would lead them to "meet Jesus." The shocking case came to light last April when bodies were discovered in the Shakahola forest near the Indian Ocean, revealing that the majority of the 429 victims had died of hunger, while others, including children, showed signs of strangulation, beatings, or suffocation.
Mackenzie's pre-trial detention in Mombasa was extended multiple times as the prosecution investigated the case. However, a court recently warned of the release of the former taxi driver if charges were not filed within 14 days. Prosecutors sought an extension in the Malindi High Court to determine the fitness of 31 suspects, including Mackenzie, to stand trial for murder. The court approved the extension, citing the need for comprehensive mental assessments due to the large number of suspects.
The director of public prosecutions confirmed having "sufficient evidence to prosecute 95 suspects" for murder, manslaughter, and terrorism. While charges for these individuals are expected on February 6, it remains unclear when the remaining 64 suspects will be charged. The case, known as the "Shakahola forest massacre," has prompted calls for tighter control of fringe denominations in Kenya.
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A Senate commission of inquiry revealed Mackenzie's previous charges in 2017 for extreme preaching and his acquittal on charges of radicalization. Kenya, a predominantly Christian nation, continues to grapple with the regulation of unscrupulous churches and cults involved in criminal activities amidst a landscape of over 4,000 registered churches.
AFP
