A court in Kenya has delivered a guilty verdict against starvation cult leader Paul Mackenzie, holding him responsible for the deaths of 191 individuals in what has become one of the nation's worst tragedies. The Mombasa Law Court announced on Monday that the self-proclaimed pastor and dozens of his associates were culpable for the murders of 190 children and one adult.

Prosecutors detailed that Mackenzie and his Good News International Church operated an apocalyptic Christian sect, coercing followers into starving themselves and their children to death under the premise of reaching heaven before the impending end of the world and "meeting Jesus." The gruesome nature of the crimes has sparked widespread condemnation and raised questions regarding state oversight of fringe religious groups.

Law enforcement authorities arrested Mackenzie in 2023 following a critical tip-off from informants. Weeks after the initial arrest, investigators began unearthing scores of bodies from shallow graves scattered across the Shakahola Forest near the coast in southeastern Kenya. Despite Mackenzie's insistence that he did not force the victims to starve, the court decisively dismissed his claims.

The defendants had previously entered not-guilty pleas and rejected separate charges brought against them, which included terrorism, radicalisation, and preventing children from attaining a formal education. Legal proceedings and ancillary investigations into the wider network are reportedly ongoing.

Source: www.aljazeera.com