Paul Mackenzie and 28 others await sentencing over 191 Shakahola murders.
Prosecutors seek the death penalty for Paul Mackenzie and life imprisonment for 27 others ahead of Friday’s sentencing.
The Mombasa High Court expects to deliver the Shakahola sentencing on Friday for Paul Nthenge Mackenzie and 28 others. The case concerns 191 murders, including the deaths of 190 children.
Justice Diana Kavedza convicted the 29 on October 19, 2026, after finding that prosecutors had proved their case beyond reasonable doubt. The proceedings stem from deaths at Shakahola Forest in Kilifi County in 2023.
Prosecutors seek death penalty in Shakahola sentencing
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions has asked the court to sentence Mackenzie to death. Prosecutors argue that the scale and gravity of the crimes justify the harshest punishment available under Kenyan law.
Meanwhile, Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Jami Yamina requested life imprisonment for 27 of Mackenzie’s co-accused. He cited their roles in the offences and the need to protect the public.
As an alternative, prosecutors asked for consecutive sentences if the court declines to impose life imprisonment. They argued that each of the 191 deaths constitutes a separate murder offence.
Guilty plea and rehabilitation proposal
One convicted person, Enos Amanya Ngala, pleaded guilty to all 191 murder counts. The court convicted him on his own plea.
For Ngala, however, prosecutors proposed a custodial rehabilitation programme lasting between 24 and 30 months, subject to periodic assessments. They asked the court to consider his plea-bargaining agreement when determining his punishment.
The discovery of mass graves and human remains in Shakahola Forest in 2023 triggered extensive investigations. Those inquiries examined deaths linked to extreme fasting practices associated with Mackenzie’s religious teachings.
In its October judgment, the court found that an organised system enforced fasting among followers. Children were among those targeted by that system.
