The hearing of the ongoing Kwa Binzaro murder case involving controversial preacher Paul Nthenge Mackenzie, Shirlyne Temba and six other accused persons continued Thursday before Lady Justice Wendi Micheni, with families of several missing persons giving emotional testimonies on the mysterious disappearance of their loved ones in 2025.
The court heard heartbreaking accounts from relatives who described the final moments before family members vanished, leaving behind unanswered questions, grief and uncertainty.
One of the witnesses, 19-year-old Bonface Ouma Ochieng, narrated how his father, Pastor David Ochieng Otieno, informed the family in March 2025 that he had secured a glass-fitting job in Nigeria and was allegedly planning to travel onward to South Africa for another assignment.
Bonface testified that his father summoned him from Nairobi to their rural home in Esikulu Village, Busia County, where he met both his parents. During the meeting, his father allegedly handed him important family documents, including the title deed and mutation papers relating to the family land, and instructed him to keep them safely “in case of anything.”
Shortly afterwards, the witness told the court, his father, mother Millicent Awino Agai, and four siblings, Jael Atieno Ochieng, Favour Adasa Ochieng, Daniel Ochieng and John Mark Paul Ochieng, disappeared under circumstances that remain unclear.
Bonface further testified that he later reported the matter to the police, recorded a formal statement and provided DNA samples to assist investigators in tracing the missing family members and identifying possible victims.
In another emotional testimony, 70-year-old Beatrice Agola Adum recounted the disappearance of her daughter, Alice Achieng, alongside several children.
The elderly woman told the court that Alice had been living with her at their home in Andingo Debe Village together with her children and another child belonging to one of her sisters.
She stated that Alice had studied up to Form Four at St. Michael’s Piny Owacho Secondary School before later getting married.
However, she said she no longer knew the whereabouts of her daughter and the children who disappeared alongside her.
Beatrice also disclosed that another missing child, Kelly, aged about 12 years and the daughter of Diana Atieno, was among those who vanished.
The court also heard testimony from Simon Chea Bikazuri, who narrated the sudden disappearance of his wife, Neema, in April 2025 together with six children and one grandchild, none of whom have been seen since.
In a chilling twist to his testimony, Simon revealed that Neema was the sister of Janet Mwatete, an accused person in the Shakahola manslaughter case.
Janet reportedly disappeared in 2023 with four children, two of whom were later identified and buried.
He further told the court that at the time of the disappearance, Neema was allegedly in the company of Kadzo Charo and Moses Karema, both accused persons in the Shakahola manslaughter case.
The testimonies painted what the prosecution described as a grim picture suggesting that the alleged atrocities at Kwa Binzaro could have been a continuation of the Shakahola tragedy.
Throughout the proceedings, several witnesses broke down in tears as they appealed for closure through the identification and return of the bodies of their missing relatives.
They urged the state to expedite DNA identification processes and help bring dignity to the victims through proper burials.
The matter will continue before the High Court on 22 to 26 June 2026 with the court set to hold proceedings at the scenes of crime at Malindi, Shakahola and Kwa Binzaro.
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