Kenya to Sentence Pastor Convicted of Murdering 190 Children

A Kenyan cult leader convicted of murdering 190 children and one adult is expected to be sentenced on Friday, with prosecutors urging the court to impose the death penalty over the deaths linked to his religious movement.

Paul Nthenge Mackenzie, a self-proclaimed pastor, was found guilty last month of orchestrating the murders committed between January 2021 and September 2023, alongside 28 co-accused.

The case is linked to the Shakahola Forest Massacre, in which hundreds of bodies were discovered from 2023 at the sect's base near Malindi, a coastal town in Kenya.

Mackenzie was accused of encouraging his followers to starve themselves to death in a bid to meet Jesus. His lawyer has indicated that the conviction will be appealed.

Ahead of Friday's sentencing, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions urged the court to impose capital punishment on Mackenzie, citing the magnitude of the tragedy and the danger posed by his actions.

Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Jami Yamina said the prosecution supported the death penalty, subject to the court's consideration of Mackenzie's mitigation, remorse, regret and prospects of rehabilitation.

Prosecutors also called for life imprisonment for Mackenzie's co-accused, arguing that they had been deeply indoctrinated by him and could pose a risk of reoffending.

Although Kenya's laws provide for the death penalty, the country has not carried out an execution since 1987.

During the trial, about 120 prosecution witnesses testified about the activities of the religious group. Evidence presented included allegations that followers were discouraged from receiving formal education, seeking medical treatment and maintaining contact with the outside world.

Mackenzie, a former taxi driver, was arrested in April 2023 after a human rights organisation alerted authorities, leading to the rescue of several followers from a 325-hectare ranch in Shakahola Forest.

Investigations into the sect uncovered mass graves and hundreds of bodies, with the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights estimating the death toll at 429 in 2024. Some victims remain unidentified.

The preacher also faces separate manslaughter and terrorism charges, which he has denied.

The tragedy has sparked widespread outrage in Kenya and renewed calls for stricter regulation of religious organisations, particularly after it emerged that Mackenzie had previously been arrested twice but was released.

The sentencing is expected to mark a significant moment in one of Kenya's deadliest cases involving religious extremism and the abuse of followers.