Justice · Shakahola, Kilifi County · Kenya · October 20, 2026

Kenyan cult leader Mackenzie convicted over 191 starvation deaths

Reported by 4 outlets · first reported Oct 19, 5:21 AM ET

A Kenyan court found preacher Paul Mackenzie, his wife and 29 others guilty of murdering 190 children and one adult linked to starvation in Shakahola Forest. Prosecutors said his church ordered followers to starve themselves and their children. His son Dan told the BBC that Mackenzie's younger children were still being starved weeks before the trial.

Why it matters

The verdict brings convictions in one of the deadliest cult-related cases in recent history.

Background

Mackenzie led Good News International Ministries and was arrested in 2023 after police discovered mass graves in Shakahola Forest near Malindi.

The story so far

1. Oct 19Kenyan cult leader Paul Mackenzie convicted of 191 starvation murders
2. Oct 20Kenyan cult leader Mackenzie convicted over 191 starvation deaths
3. Oct 21Kenya cult leader Mackenzie to be sentenced over Shakahola deaths

Follow the whole story →

Sources

• The Guardian ↗Oct 19, 12:08 PM ET
• Sky News ↗Oct 19, 5:21 AM ET
• BBC News ↗Oct 20, 9:23 AM ET

This summary was written automatically from the reporting linked above; follow the sources for the full story. How One Turn works.

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