A Kenyan High Court has sentenced controversial preacher Paul Nthenge Mackenzie to 200 years in prison for his role in the murder of 191 people, including 190 children, in the horrific Shakahola Forest massacre.
The sentence was handed down on Friday, November 6, 2026, by the High Court in Mombasa, following Mackenzie’s conviction on 191 counts of murder arising from the deaths of followers of his Good News International Church.
Justice Diana Kavedza Mochache imposed two separate 100-year prison terms on Mackenzie. The first covers the murders of 183 people who died through starvation, including 182 children and one adult, while the second relates to eight children who were killed through direct homicide, including suffocation, strangulation and beatings.
The court ordered the sentences to run consecutively, bringing his total prison term to 200 years.
The judge found that Mackenzie had exercised significant influence over his followers, persuading them to abandon their homes and relocate to Shakahola Forest in Kilifi County, where they were subjected to an organised system of extreme religious fasting.
Followers were reportedly instructed to starve themselves and their children in the belief that doing so would enable them to meet Jesus and enter heaven. The court also found that guards and other members helped enforce the deadly instructions, preventing people from escaping and punishing those who attempted to eat or resist.
Twenty-eight other followers were also sentenced to prison terms ranging from 10 to 160 years, depending on their individual involvement in the crimes. The court found that the killings were carried out through an organised structure involving people who enforced the fasting instructions and helped conceal the deaths.
During sentencing, Justice Kavedza highlighted the extreme vulnerability of the victims, particularly the children, and the suffering they endured. She said the punishment reflected the gravity of the crimes and the need for accountability.
The prosecution had sought the death penalty for Mackenzie, but the court instead imposed the 200-year sentence. His defence lawyer indicated that an appeal would be pursued, arguing that the lengthy sentence effectively amounted to life imprisonment.
The Shakahola tragedy came to international attention in April 2023 after authorities began uncovering bodies buried in shallow graves in the forest. Investigations eventually linked more than 400 deaths to the religious group, with 191 deaths forming the basis of the murder convictions in the present case.
Authorities recovered 429 bodies from the forest during the 2023 operation, while subsequent investigations and other cases have continued to examine additional deaths linked to Mackenzie’s activities.
The preacher also faces separate legal proceedings involving other alleged offences, including terrorism-related crimes, manslaughter, child abuse and torture.
The massacre sparked widespread outrage in Kenya and renewed calls for stronger oversight of religious organisations to prevent religious leaders from exploiting vulnerable followers through dangerous teachings.
The court’s decision marks a major development in one of Kenya’s most devastating cases of religious extremism and mass murder.
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