A Kenyan court sentenced Paul Mackenzie, founder of the Good News International Church, to 200 years in prison on Friday for his role in the deaths of 191 people, including 190 children, in a religious cult that subjected followers to forced fasting and abuse.
Mackenzie was convicted of murder last month and was sentenced by Lady Justice Diana Kavedza of the Mombasa High Court alongside more than two dozen co‑accused.
The judge imposed a 100‑year term for each death linked to starvation and another 100 years for deaths resulting from direct homicide. Investigations revealed that Mackenzie had persuaded his followers to abandon their homes and relocate to Shakahola Forest in eastern Kenya, where he convinced them that prolonged fasting would bring them closer to God and prepare them for heaven.
Religious teachings were used to enforce the fasting, while guards restricted movements and prevented followers from leaving the forest. Those who resisted were forced to comply, with children restrained, denied food and punished when they attempted to eat or escape.
A Senate report found that Mackenzie’s teachings centered on doomsday predictions, telling followers the world would end in August 2023 and instructing them to fast to “meet Jesus”. The plan was to have children die first, followed by young people and women, while men were expected to survive long enough to bury the bodies before dying themselves.
Evidence from Mackenzie’s mobile phone, including WhatsApp exchanges, showed he had communicated with followers before they relocated to the forest. The court ruled that his sermons and written materials persuaded followers that the outside world was evil and that salvation could only be attained in Shakahola Forest.
With the sentence now finalized, Mackenzie will serve his term at the Mombasa prison complex. The case highlights the dangers of extremist religious movements and the importance of safeguarding vulnerable communities.
