Kenyan Court: 200 Years for Cult Leader Paul Mackenzie

The High Court in Mombasa sentenced Paul Mackenzie, the leader of the Good News International Church, to 200 years in prison on November 6, 2026. The verdict addresses the deaths of 191 individuals, comprising 190 children and one adult, who perished in the Shakahola Forest on the Kenyan coast between January 2021 and September 2023. Mackenzie was convicted of instructing followers to starve themselves in the belief that death would transport them to heaven before the end of the world.

Justice Diana Mochache imposed two consecutive 100-year terms for the murder charges. The court separated the victims into two groups based on the cause of death: those who died from starvation and those killed by suffocation, strangulation, or blunt force trauma. Alongside Mackenzie, 29 other co-defendants received prison sentences ranging from 100 to 160 years for the same offenses. The initial guilty verdict was delivered on October 19, 2026.

During sentencing, Justice Mochache detailed the suffering of the youngest victims. She referenced an infant who died at 12 days old, noting the child was denied milk and left with an unhealed umbilical cord. The judge described how 161 toddlers and young children under the age of 10 died in the dirt after days of crying for food and water. She stated that the sentences must match the severity of the crimes committed against these defenseless members of society.

The judge criticized the demeanor of the defendants, who she said stood with unbent necks and showed no sign of remorse. She noted that the defendants declared in court that their children are in heaven and that they are ready to follow. Justice Mochache observed that no tears of sorrow were shed during the proceedings, describing the defendants' stance as arrogant.

A probation officer's report read into the record indicated that Mackenzie remains the ideological influence behind the movement. The officer expressed concern over Mackenzie's continued adherence to the beliefs associated with his position in the church. Mackenzie denied responsibility for the deaths, blaming the government instead of expressing empathy for the victims' families. The assessment concluded that he presents a high risk of reoffending.

Mackenzie's defense team has announced its intention to appeal the sentences. Beyond the murder charges, he faces accusations of terrorism-related crimes, manslaughter, and torture, to which he has pleaded not guilty. In January 2026, he was charged with the murder of another 52 people whose bodies were found in a nearby village, a case in which he has also pleaded not guilty.

The 191 victims were part of a larger group of more than 400 people whose deaths are linked to the church. Mackenzie was arrested in April 2023 after a rights group tipped off authorities, leading to the rescue of some followers. The case has prompted calls in Kenya for tougher regulations on religious organizations, particularly after it emerged that Mackenzie had been arrested twice previously but was released.