A Shanzu court ruled that controversial preacher Paul Mackenzie and his 95 co-accused have a case to answer over allegations of organized crime and radicalization linked to the deaths of more than 450 followers in Shakahola forest.
This was seen as a boost for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
In a key ruling delivered Thursday, the court found that Prosecution had established a prima facie case against all the accused persons, placing them on their defence.
Prosecution built its case through 96 witnesses, including survivors, experts and investigators, and presented about 500 exhibits. The court found this body of evidence sufficient to require the accused to respond to the charges.
Witness testimony painted a disturbing picture of a deliberate and sustained campaign of radicalization between 2020 and 2023 in Furunzi, Malindi. Followers were allegedly indoctrinated into extreme beliefs, including fasting to death as a path to salvation, leading to mass deaths later uncovered in Shakahola forest.
Mackenzie, his wife Rhoda Mumbua Maweu and their co-accused deny multiple terror-related charges, including facilitating terrorist acts and promoting extremist doctrines that endangered lives.
The accused told the court they will give sworn testimony and call 13 witnesses, marking the start of the defence phase in the high-profile trial.
In a related move, the DPP closed the file in a separate case which Mackenzie and 96 co-accused are facing radicalization charges.
Mackenzie and his co-accused also face separate charges related to 52 deaths at Kwa Binzaro, in Malindi.
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