Televangelist Paul Mackenzie was released from a Malindi court on March 23 after paying a police bond of Sh10,000 for his alleged involvement in the murder of two children in Kilifi’s Shakahola village. According to court documents, the parents of the children had starved and suffocated them to death on the advice of Mackenzie on March 16 and 17. However, Mackenzie’s freedom was short-lived due to a series of blunders made by him and his aides, leading to the discovery of mass graves in the village.
Mr Harun Ambajo, whose son Kevin Asena was rescued from Pastor Paul Mackenzie’s church in Shakahola, points at Mr Asena’s abandoned house in Madzuu village in Vihiga County on April 26, 2023.
After his release, Mackenzie retreated to his Shakahola home to further plan and execute his murderous plot, while some of his trusted collaborators ensured he remained incognito as his lawyer worked on a suit to prevent his rearrest.
Police quietly continued with their investigations, but they were thrown off-tangent even as they closely monitored the cult leader and his associates’ whereabouts. The suspect’s collaborators ensured that he was not arrested, and the cultic activities went undetected in the village until more than ten people in Shakahola and Msimba villages were seriously injured when neighbors attacked them for being followers of the cult.
Locals had bumped into the victims who were shopping for food for Mackenzie and his associates, and after questioning, some of the victims laid bare the secretive activities happening in the forest. On April 14, police acting on intelligence made a shocking discovery after four people died of suspected starvation while ten others were rescued at night in a prayer session. Based on this new piece of evidence, police traced and arrested Mackenzie in Chakama in a hideout.
On April 27, five bodies of children were discovered next to Mackenzie’s homestead, and three others were found in different parts of the compound. Coast Regional Coordinator Rhoda Onyancha said police had combed the forest halfway, and journalists were barred from accessing the crime scene after the government declared Shakahola village a disturbed area and an operation zone.
The Kilifi County Government also received 200-capacity refrigerated containers from the Kenya Red Cross Society to preserve bodies from Shakahola, where dozens of followers of a cult fasted to death and were buried clandestinely.
The death toll rose further with the discovery of the mass graves, and Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki corroborated Nation’s investigations into the cult, saying many deaths might have happened within one month. Had Mackenzie been jailed at the time of his release, this loss of lives would not have happened, he said. The Director of Public Prosecutions obtained orders to search and seize Mackenzie’s properties, and Malindi Court Principal Magistrate Ivy Wasike ordered that the search be extended to his seven associates.
The search is to be conducted by the DCI where the cult leader lives or conducts his business in Furunzi-Malindi and Shakahola for purposes of retrieving bank balances, title documents, sale agreements, and motor vehicle details "or any other document and item linked to the offenses of terrorism, radicalization, murder, or any other charges that will be preferred against the accused persons."
The series of blunders made by Mackenzie and his aides highlights the need for effective investigation and prosecution of cult activities that pose a threat to society. The discovery of mass graves and deaths resulting from cult activities in Shakahola village is a wakeup call for authorities to take action against such groups that operate under the guise of religion or spiritual beliefs.
It is essential to ensure that justice is served and that those responsible for such heinous crimes are held accountable. The government should also intensify its efforts to raise awareness among the public on the dangers of cult activities and encourage the reporting of suspicious groups or individuals. Finally, it is crucial to ensure that appropriate measures are put in place.