Paul Nthenge Mackenzie Sentencing Begins in Mombasa High Court

Paul Nthenge Mackenzie, founder of Good News International Church, and 28 co-accused appeared at Mombasa High Court for sentencing on Friday, November 6, 2026, after being convicted of 191 murder counts.

The group was escorted from a prison bus by prison officers and other security personnel under heavy security before being led into the courtroom where Justice Diana Kavedza presided.

The court had found all 29 accused guilty on October 19, 2026 of the deaths of 190 children and one adult in Shakahola Forest, Kilifi County, stemming from extreme fasting practices linked to the church.

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, represented by Deputy Director Jami Yamina, urged the judge to impose the death penalty on Mackenzie and life imprisonment for the 27 co-accused, and said that if life sentences were not imposed the court could consider consecutive sentences for each of the 191 murder counts.

Defence teams submitted mitigation arguments that highlighted the accused’s personal circumstances, conduct in custody, first-time offender status, family hardships, experiences of victimisation and time already served in remand, and indicated an intention to appeal the convictions.

One co-accused, Enos Amanya Ngala, had pleaded guilty to all 191 counts and the prosecution proposed a custodial rehabilitation programme of 24 to 30 months subject to periodic assessments.

The Shakahola case originated from the discovery of mass graves in Shakahola Forest in April 2023, prompting investigations that recovered more than 400 bodies and revealed an organised system of extreme fasting imposed on followers, including children.

The sentencing will determine the punishments for Mackenzie and the other 28 convicted persons.