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The chief of a Kenyan cult who allegedly inspired over 400 followers to starve themselves to demise has pleaded not responsible to manslaughter, in one of many worst ever circumstances of cult-related mass deaths.
Self-proclaimed pastor Paul Mackenzie appeared in court docket within the coastal metropolis of Mombasa alongside 94 different suspects on Monday.
Mr Mackenzie was arrested final April after 429 our bodies, together with kids, have been dug up from mass graves in Shakahola, a distant forest about two hours’ drive west of the city of Malindi. Most of the our bodies confirmed indicators of hunger and assault.
“There has never been a manslaughter case like this in Kenya,” prosecutor Alexander Jami Yamina informed AFP.
The prosecution say over 400 witnesses will testify over the following 4 days.
Mr Yamina mentioned the case was distinctive in Kenya, and the suspects could be prosecuted beneath a regulation referring to suicide pacts.
When the case broke final yr Kenyans have been shocked and horrified that individuals might willingly starve themselves to demise. It turned often known as the “Shakahola Forest Massacre”.
Mr Mackenzie allegedly informed his followers they’d get to heaven extra shortly in the event that they stopped consuming.
Mr Mackenzie can also be going through two different trials: one for terrorism which began in July and one other on youngster abuse expenses, which incorporates subjecting kids to torture, assault, cruelty to kids and infringing a baby’s proper to training – which he denies.
Survivors say kids have been speculated to be the primary to starve themselves, based on a macabre order drawn up by Mr Mackenzie. Then the single, ladies, males, and final of all, church leaders.
Mr Mackenzie arrange his Good News International Church in 2003, however mentioned he closed it in 2019.
He inspired his followers to maneuver to Shakahola forest and put together for the tip of the world to “meet Jesus”.
Pastor Mackenzie is reported to have owned 800 acres of the distant forest, the place there isn’t a cellular community.
The forest was partitioned into completely different areas and given biblical place names, similar to Judea, Bethlehem and Nazareth.
In March this yr, the authorities launched some victims’ our bodies to kinfolk after months of figuring out them by means of DNA exams. So far 34 our bodies have been returned.
Mr Mackenzie preached that formal training was satanic and used to extort cash.
In 2017 and once more in 2018, he was arrested for encouraging kids to not go to high school as he claimed training was “not recognised in the Bible”.
He additionally allegedly inspired moms to keep away from searching for medical consideration throughout childbirth and to not vaccinate their kids.
Mr Mackenzie was convicted final November of illegally working a movie studio related along with his preaching and distributing movies with out a legitimate filming licence and sentenced to a yr in jail.
Kenya is a profoundly non secular nation with 85% of the inhabitants figuring out as Christian. There have been earlier circumstances of individuals being lured into harmful, unregulated church buildings or cults.
