NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 12 — A Mombasa court has issued an order for the continued detention of controversial televangelist Paul Mackenzie of the Shakahola starvation cult amid claims of radicalization in remand.
Mackenzie and his co-accused are linked with the Shakahola cult that led to over 400 deaths with the State seeking to establish the extend of his activities which included secret mass grave burials of starved followers.
The decision was reached on Thursday during the appearance of Mackenzie and the other accused individuals at the Shanzu Law Courts.
The court has ruled to extend their detention for an additional seven days. Further, the court slotted a hearing for October 19 to providing direction on the matter.
Subsequently, the court will determine whether the accused should be held in custody for six months, as sough by the Public Prosecutor, as investigations into the cult’s activities continues.
Lawyer Wycliffe Makasembo, acting on behalf of the suspects, opposed the detention, claiming that the accused’s continued detention violates their rights as suspects.
However, on its part, the prosecution, told the court that the request for additional detention is justified based on the weight of the case.
The Director of Public Prosecution told the court the Directorate of Criminal Investigation was probing a letter in which Mackenzie is said to have instructed his remanded followers to fast to death.
