Starvation, murder and abuse: cult leader in Kenya sentenced to 200 years in prison

A Kenyan court sentenced Paul Mackenzie, leader of an extreme Christian cult, to 200 years in prison for the murder of 190 children through starvation and violence. The case came to light in March 2023 with the discovery of hundreds of bodies in the Shakahola forest.

A Kenyan court handed down an unprecedented sentence of 200 years in prison on Friday to Paul Mackenzie, leader of the "Good News International" cult. Mackenzie was convicted of direct and indirect responsibility for the murder of 190 children through extreme starvation and direct violence. The case was exposed in March 2023 after a man reported to the police that his brother and sister-in-law had starved their children to death on Mackenzie's orders. Security forces raided the Shakahola forest and discovered hundreds of bodies buried in a mass grave, some of whom were buried alive. Mackenzie ran the cult by dividing it into areas with biblical names, forbidding his followers from sending children to school or seeking medical care. He denied the charges, but the judge rejected his version. The case sparked severe public criticism in Kenya over the failure of law enforcement authorities to stop him despite him being under surveillance since 2017.