Several prosecution witnesses told a Mombasa court that Paul Nthenge Mackenzie interpreted Bible verses to advance his messages leading to mass deaths of his followers.
The first prosecution witness testified in camera with the second one informing an open court that Mackenzie interpreted the word of God in a manner that led men and women to fast inside Shakahola forest and in the process deny their children food and water till they died.
The witnesses were testifying in the case in which Mackenzie, his wife Rhoda Mumbua Maweu and 93 others are faced with 283 counts of manslaughter.
A 17 year old girl told Mombasa Chief Magistrate Alex Ithuku that Mackenzie interpreted biblical verses in the context of his radical understanding including contradicting known verses.
The minor testified that Mackenzie contradicted a famous biblical teaching which states “whoever doesn’t want to work shouldn’t be allowed to eat.”
According to the witness, the accused preached to his followers to abandon work, meals, education, beauty and other worldly affairs.
The court further heard that in some instances Mackenzie did not make reference to any bible verses but decreed his followers to undertake certain actions.
The witness also revealed that Mackenzie would regularly interpret dreams of his followers, as words of God directing them to perform among other praying and fasting non-stop.
The Good News International Church preacher’s deadly fasting decree led to deaths of children, men and women.
The witness further said she witnessed deaths of six people including a child near their makeshift home inside Shakahola forest.
The minor said the dead were buried in shallow graves inside the forest, which Mackenzie declared the ritual as weddings (harusi) a journey to meet Jesus.
The prosecution witness identified 83 out of 94 accused persons as among people she spotted inside Shakahola forest.
Among them, some worked as Mackenzie’s armed militia tasked to guard them from invaders mostly locals and herders within Furunzi in Lango Baya in Malindi sub county.
Former Officer Commanding Lango Baya police station, Hamara Hassan told the court that Mackenzie filed a complaint via OB no 15/8/2022 at 1600 hours against a woman who accused him of ferrying and killing people inside Shakahola forest.
Hassan also testified that another person also made a report via OB/10/17/03/23 AT 1215 hours over mistreatment of three children by their parents inside the forest.
The OCS testified that all the two matters were referred to the DCI team in Malindi due to the sensitivity of the claims.
He said they teamed up with DCI detectives to comb the forest and found 15 of Mackenzie’ followers who were too weak to walk.
Two died at the scene with the third one dying on the way to Malindi sub county hospital.
The witness said he was among the officers who discovered Mackenzie and his family hiding inside the forest and arrested them.
The Prosecution team include Senior Assistant DPP Peter Kiprop, Assistant DPP Jami Yamina, Principal Prosecution Counsel Victor Owiti and Betty Rubia, Senior Principal Prosecution Counsel, Alex Gituma, Senior Prosecution Counsel Victor Simbi and Hilary Isiaho and Prosecution Counsel Yassir Mohamed.
Hearing continues Thursday August 15.
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