NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 16 -Paul Mackenzie, the cult leader who convinced thousands of his followers to fast to death so as to meet Jesus, will face murder charges on Wednesday.
Mackenzie will be charged alongside 94 other suspects– all accused of forcing more than 400 people to fast to death in the vast Shakahola forest.
Mackenzie is the leader of the so-called Good News International Church that forced thousands to live in the forest where they fasted to death, including young children.
He has been in custody alongside the other suspects since early last year when they were first arrested, leading to the exhumation of the bodies from shallow graves.
The Director of Public Prosecutions Renson Ingonga said Tuesday that Mackenzie and his co-conspirators will be charged with murder, assault, terrorism and facilitating the commission of a terrorist act. One of the suspects died in prison remand.
The controversial televangelist whose case has dragged on for close to a year will also be charged with child torture.
“Upon thorough analysis of the evidence, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is satisfied that there is sufficient evidence to prosecute ninety-five (95) suspects,” the chief prosecutor said.
Mackenzie is already serving time in jail for distributing films without a license.
The DPP directed that the suspects be presented before the High Court and Subordinate Court.
In regards to the Murder charges the DPP said Mackenzie and other suspects contravened Section 203 as read with Section 204 of the Penal Code
Under the Offences under Prevention of Terrorism Act, 2012 and the Prevention of Organized Crimes Act, 2010, Mackenzie is accused of engaging in organized criminal activity contrary to Section 4(1) as read with Section 3(n) and Section 4(2) of the Prevention of Organized Crimes Act, 2010.
The suspects are also accused of having an article connected with an offence under the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2012 contrary to Section 30 of the Prevention of Terrorism Act, 2012.
Other listed offences include Infringing a child’s right to education contrary to Section 30(1)(2) as read with Section 30(3) of the Basic Education Act, 2013.
The DPP pledged to fast-track the prosecution of the matter to bring the perpetrators to justice.
“The ODPP undertakes to expeditiously prosecute the matters given the great public interest involved,” Ingonga said.
On January 9, the Shanzu Court gave the Public Prosecutor until January 23 to charge Paul Mackenzie and other accused persons.
Shanzu Principal Magistrate Yousuf Shikanda issued the new ultimatum on Tuesday citing the historic length of pre-trial detention on Mackenzie and his associates.
“As already stated in my previous ruling, this is the longest pre-charge detention in the history of the country following the promulgation of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010,” Shikanda outlined in his ruling.
The Principal Magistrate who noted the accused persons had been in detention of 117 days since their arrest said the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) must process charges against the accused persons within 14 days.
“If no decision to charge the respondents will have been made after the expiry of such period, the court will consider releasing the respondents from custody on terms that will be determined by the court,” he said.
