Kenyan Cult Leader Sentenced to 200 Years in Prison Over Deaths of 190 Children

A Kenyan court has sentenced self-proclaimed pastor and cult leader Paul Mackenzie to 200 years in prison for the murder of 190 children and one adult in the Shakahola Forest massacre.

The Mombasa High Court handed down the sentence on Friday, November 6, 2026, following Mackenzie’s conviction for orchestrating the deaths through starvation and direct killings at a remote religious settlement along Kenya’s coastal region.

Justice Diana Kavedza imposed two consecutive 100-year prison terms, comprising 100 years for murder by starvation and another 100 years for direct homicide.

Mackenzie, founder of the Good News International Church, had instructed followers to abandon their homes and relocate to Shakahola Forest, where they were told to fast until death in order to reach heaven before the world ended and meet Jesus.

Prosecutors established that his teachings were enforced through threats, beatings and restrictions on members who attempted to resist. Children were particularly vulnerable, with evidence showing that some were denied food, restrained and punished when they attempted to eat or escape.

The court found that 183 of the 191 victims died from starvation, while eight children were killed through direct violence, including suffocation, strangulation and other forms of physical assault.

Mackenzie denied forcing his followers to starve, but the court rejected his defence and found him primarily responsible for the deaths.

Twenty-eight accomplices were also sentenced for their involvement in the killings, receiving prison terms ranging from 10 to 160 years. Among them was assistant pastor Smart Mwakalama, who received a 160-year sentence.

The prosecution had sought the death penalty for Mackenzie, arguing that the scale and circumstances of the killings warranted the harshest possible punishment.

However, the court opted for the lengthy prison term. Mackenzie’s defence lawyer has indicated plans to appeal the convictions and sentences.

The Shakahola tragedy first came to international attention in April 2023, after police began uncovering mass graves in the forest following reports that members of the religious group had died after following Mackenzie’s fasting instructions.

Investigators subsequently recovered hundreds of bodies from the area, with the total number of recovered remains reported at 448 by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.

Many of the victims were severely malnourished, while others showed signs of strangulation and physical injuries. Some bodies were discovered in shallow graves and latrines, and investigators reported cases of people buried alive.

The 191 murders covered by the latest court ruling represent only part of the wider tragedy. Mackenzie is facing separate proceedings over the deaths of another 52 people allegedly linked to his activities at Kwa Binzaro village.

The discoveries triggered widespread outrage in Kenya, with families questioning how the religious group operated for years despite earlier warnings to law enforcement authorities.

Investigations revealed that Mackenzie had previously come under police scrutiny, including arrests in 2017 and 2019, before the Shakahola deaths were exposed.

The case has intensified calls for stronger oversight of religious organisations, improved child protection measures and greater accountability among government institutions responsible for responding to reports of abuse and unlawful activities.

Although the sentencing has been welcomed as an important step towards justice, families of victims continue to seek answers about missing relatives and the full extent of the deaths.