A Kenyan court convicted preacher Paul Nthenge Mackenzie and 28 others on Oct. 19 of murdering 191 people in the Shakahola Forest case, nearly all of them children.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions said the victims in this case were 190 children and one adult. According to the office, Justice Diana Kavedza found that leaders of Mackenzie’s Good News International Church directed followers to fast and placed guards to prevent them from leaving.
Authorities began finding bodies in the forest in 2023. The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights said 429 bodies had been exhumed as of its 2024 report. That broader historical count is separate from the 191 deaths covered by the murder verdict.
The commission also faulted authorities for failing to act on earlier warnings. It said followers gave the ministry proceeds from their possessions.
Mackenzie had pleaded not guilty. His lawyers argued that the case relied heavily on hearsay and forensic findings they considered inconclusive, AFP reported. Francis Wanje, who lost eight relatives, told AFP before the verdict that he hoped the ruling would help prevent similar deaths.
The court will hear arguments relevant to sentencing on Oct. 30. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 6.
