Falsely claiming “hunger strike to see Jesus” killed 400 people! Kenyan cult leader convicted of 191 murders

Kenyan cult leader Paul Mackenzie and 28 co-defendants were found guilty by the court on 19th of 191 counts of murder. The dead included 190 children and 1 adult. This incident stemmed from the leader's claim that believers must go on a hunger strike to see Jesus. The Kenyan authorities have exhumed more than 400 bodies since 2023, making it the country's most tragic religious tragedy in recent years.

Reuters reported that Mackensi, who originally worked as a taxi driver, founded the Good News International Church, which has long promoted extreme doomsday doctrines and requires believers and their children to fast until death in order to enter heaven before the end of the world. Makensi denied forcing believers to go on a hunger strike in court, but the court rejected the defense argument and found him and his co-defendants guilty of murder.

The judge pointed out in the more than eight hours of sentencing that the investigation showed that the hunger strike plan was carried out in stages, and the first batch of people asked to go on hunger strike were innocent children. Some children were isolated and deprived of food while their parents looked on. Forensic autopsy reports showed that most of the children died of starvation, but some died of suffocation or severe head injuries. This verdict completely rejected the defense's claim that the deceased were all on a voluntary hunger strike.

This case broke out in March 2023. The authorities subsequently discovered multiple shallow graves in the Shakahola forest in remote coastal areas of Kenya, and successively excavated more than 400 bodies. Many of the bodies were severely decomposed, and only 26 were successfully identified. Reuters pointed out that the verdict on the 19th only involved the first batch of 191 confirmed victims, and the remaining cases are still under investigation.

Francis Wanje, a 62-year-old family member who lost eight relatives (including two grandchildren) in the case, said outside the court that the verdict had restored his confidence in the judiciary and called on the public to beware of extremist organizations in the name of religion.

Mackenzie and her co-defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on November 6. In addition, Makensi still faces trial in terrorism, radicalization and a separate case involving the deaths of 52 people.