Prosecutors in Kenya will seek formal charges against an evangelical cult leader and 94 others on serious charges related to terrorism and murder. The accusation comes after the deaths of 429 followers of the sect, whose deaths are directly linked to these individuals.
The accused leader: Pastor Paul Nthenge Mackenzie
The cult's leader, identified as Pastor Paul Nthenge Mackenzie, is accused of inciting his followers to starve to death to “find Jesus”, a case that sparked controversy and shock around the world. Mackenzie was arrested in April last year after bodies were discovered in a wooded area near the Indian Ocean coast. Since then, his preventive detention has been extended several times in the course of the investigation.
In an official statement, after a thorough analysis of the available evidence, the State Ministry said: “The head of the criminal case is convinced that there is enough evidence to prosecute the 95 suspects.”
Deadline for filing charges against the cult leader
Recently, the courts gave prosecutors 14 days to file formal charges against the priest, under threat of having to release him. Pastor Mackenzie, who previously earned his living as a taxi driver, and other defendants are currently facing around ten charges. These charges include manslaughter, intentional homicide and terrorism. In addition, they are accused of “torturing children,” according to the public prosecutor’s office.
It is not yet clear when the 95 defendants will appear in court, but there are indications that the prosecutor's office intends to “initiate criminal proceedings as soon as possible.”
Autopsy results
Autopsy results showed that most of the victims died of malnutrition, while others, including children, were strangled, assaulted or suffocated. So far 429 bodies have been found.
These disturbing findings raised alarm bells within the Kenyan government about the need to impose stricter controls on religious communities in a country already known for its history of selfappointed pastors.
Kenya is a Christianmajority country that faces challenges in regulating churches and cults involved in criminal activities. According to official information, there are more than 4,000 registered churches in the East African country with a population of 53 million people.