The death of 191 Cemetery, the leader of the Kenyan Starving Sect was convicted

The Kenyan court found guilty to Paul Mackenzie, a fake priest and cult leader who called for a famine to meet Jesus, for causing 191 people to die.

Judge Diana Kavedza Mochache has stated that the prosecution has filed strong evidence for the murder of MacKenzie.

"I believe the prosecution has proven a case against the 29 defendants for the murder of 190 children and one adult," said Mochache, quoted AFP, Tuesday (20 / 10).

He also found 28 other people guilty of murder.

During the trial, Mochache carefully led the court through various charges.

The prosecution says Mackenzie "started and directed" extreme fasting at an 800 acre farm in the Shakahola Forest. They claim there is a structured death hierarchy that says children should die first, followed by teenagers, women, and then men.

The court sets hunger as a cause of death in 72 cases, additional deaths due to asphyxiation, manual compressions, and traumatic head injuries also recorded.

However, the deaths of 110 other bodies cannot be confirmed due to severe decay. The court concluded that these victims died of starvation, quoting circumstantial evidence.

The court also ruled that the Mackenzie Church has a characteristic of a cult. He brainwashed his members through principles including isolation and dominance and severed family bonds.

"According to my final analysis, that's the crime of radicalization," said Mochache.

"What was not thought to be an act of obedience, and what was once an instinct became a sin,

The General Prosecutor's office welcomes the verdict well.

"Getting a conviction as such is not something that easily obtained," said the Director of Public Prosecutor Renson Ingonga.

Meanwhile, the defense attorney called this guilty verdict confusing and prepared to appeal.

'I am very sure that the verdict will be canceled, 'said the Mackenzie attorney.

The court court is expected to take place on November 6th.

This case began over hundreds of bodies found at a cult base in Malindi, Kenya in 2023. The incident was later known as "The Shakahola Forest massacre."

In running his current operation, he claimed to be a priest and allegedly incited his followers to starve to death in order to "meet Jesus."

After the discovery of the body, officers went after Mackenzie and dug around the cult. They found more bodies of children, women, men and if accumulated reach about 400 people.

Mackenzie had a history of extremism and avoided law enforcement for years.

He once founded the Good News International Minists in 2003, and opened a branch in Nairobi. This church claimed to be closed in 2019.

In 2017, officers arrested Mackenzie on charges of "radicalization" but were later released. He was arrested again in 2019 regarding two child deaths in Sakahola, but released on bail.