Kenya: Mackenzie, 28 Co-Accused Set for Sentencing Over 191 Shakahola Deaths

What the report says

A Kenyan court is set to sentence preacher Paul Nthenge Mackenzie and 28 co-accused in Mombasa on Friday in one of the country’s most closely watched criminal cases. The expected ruling follows their conviction on 191 murder counts linked to the Shakahola deaths in Kilifi County, where investigators found mass graves and human remains in 2023.

According to Capital FM’s report carried by AllAfrica, the convicted group includes 29 people in total. The court had earlier found that prosecutors proved their case beyond reasonable doubt. The case centers on allegations that followers were subjected to extreme fasting practices associated with Mackenzie’s religious teachings, with children among the victims.

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions has asked the court to impose the death penalty on Mackenzie. Prosecutors also sought life imprisonment for 27 co-accused, or consecutive sentences if the court does not grant life terms, arguing that each death should be treated as a separate offence. One convicted person, Enos Amanya Ngala, pleaded guilty to all 191 counts and was said to have a plea-bargaining arrangement under consideration. The sentencing will determine the penalties in a case that has drawn national attention because of the scale of the deaths and the alleged role of organized religious control.