Paul Mackenzie, the cult leader arrested in Kenya in connection with over 400 deaths, must undergo mental health evaluations before facing charges, as ordered by a judge.
Mackenzie was detained in April last year after mass graves containing hundreds of bodies, most showing signs of starvation, were discovered. Some victims, including children, may have been assaulted.
As a self-proclaimed pastor accused of leading a doomsday cult, Paul Mackenzie has denied responsibility for the deaths. Prosecutors intend to charge him and 94 others with offences such as murder, manslaughter, terrorism, and torture.
However, the court in Malindi granted prosecutors an additional 14 days to determine the mental fitness of Mackenzie and 30 other suspects before proceeding with charges.
The shocking case unfolded in the remote forest of Shakahola, where the bodies of 429 people were discovered. Mackenzie allegedly encouraged followers of the Good News International Church to relocate there and prepare for the end of the world. Witnesses reported receiving instructions to fast in January of the previous year to “get to heaven.”
Paul Mackenzie contends that he cannot be held responsible for the deaths as he closed his church in 2019. In November, he was sentenced to 12 months in prison for producing and distributing films without a licence, with plans to appeal the ruling, according to his lawyer. The court hearing is set to resume on February 6th.