Pastor Convicted Of Killing 190 Children After Ordering Them to Starve To Death to meet Jesus

According to a report by PUNCH on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, Kenyan pastor Paul Mackenzie has been convicted of murdering 191 people, including 190 children, after allegedly directing his followers to starve themselves to death in the belief that they would meet Jesus.

The court also convicted 28 other leaders of Mackenzie’s religious group. Delivering the judgment in Mombasa, Justice Diana Mochache said the followers regarded Mackenzie as a spokesperson for Jesus. A co-defendant told the court that members who refused to fast were subjected to violence.

The judge said the deaths were treated as religious ceremonies, with burials in the forest described as weddings with Jesus. According to the report, investigators recovered numerous bodies from shallow graves in Shakahola Forest. Some victims were children only a few weeks old, while others reportedly had their hands and legs tied.

Mackenzie founded Good News International Ministries in 2003 and attracted thousands of followers through branches across Kenya. His teachings reportedly described formal education as evil and medical treatment as contrary to religious doctrine. The church’s main branch closed in 2019, after which he moved to Shakahola Forest and encouraged followers to join him.

The first bodies were discovered by local herders in March 2023. Survivors later described harsh living conditions and said access to medication was prohibited. One survivor, Peter Shukrani, said he nearly died after his mother discarded his medication because she believed God alone could heal him.

Despite the allegations against Mackenzie, some followers continued to defend him, claiming that members had chosen to fast voluntarily. However, his son, Dan Paul Mackenzie, argued that his father should be held responsible because of his authority over the group. The convictions followed investigations into the mass deaths in Shakahola Forest.

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