WorldOct 19, 2026, 4:06 PM

Kenya court convicts starvation cult leader over 191 deaths

Theo Al Jazeera English

A Mombasa court has convicted doomsday cult leader Paul Mackenzie and dozens of co-defendants of murder over the deaths of 191 people, including 190 children. Prosecutors said Mackenzie ordered followers of his International Good News Church to starve themselves and their children to death to "meet Jesus" before the end of the world. Bodies were later found in shallow graves in Shakahola Forest after his 2023 arrest.

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A court in Kenya has convicted starvation cult leader Paul Mackenzie of murder over the deaths of 191 people, the Mombasa court announced on Monday.

Under the ruling, Mackenzie and dozens of co-defendants were found guilty of killing 190 children and one adult. The accused had previously pleaded not guilty and denied charges in other cases, including terrorism, radicalization and preventing children from attending school.

Prosecutors said Mackenzie and his International Good News Church ran a Christian doomsday cult in which he ordered followers and their children to starve to death so they would ascend to heaven ahead of the end of the world and "meet Jesus."

Police arrested Mackenzie in 2023 after receiving a tip-off. Weeks later, authorities began discovering bodies in shallow graves in the Shakahola Forest near Kenya's southeastern coast.

Mackenzie maintained that he did not force the victims to fast, but the court rejected that argument.

This is a developing story…