Kenya cult leader Paul Mackenzie faces terror charges over mass deaths

ASUSPECTED Kenyan cult leader, Paul Mackenzie would be charged with murder and terrorism over the deaths of more than 400 people found in mass graves, prosecutors say.

Mackenzie was arrested in April after the discovery of hundreds of bodies, some of whom were said to have starved themselves to death.

Kenyan prosecutors say that he and 94 others will be charged in court in Malindi today.

The self- proclaimed pastor has denied responsibility for the deaths.

The bodies of 429 people, including children, have been dug up from grave sites in Shakahola, a remote forest about two hours’ drive west of Malindi. Most showed signs of starvation, but some, children among them, may have been assaulted.

Mr Mackenzie is alleged to have encouraged members of his Good News International Church to move there and prepare for the end of the world.

One witness told the BBC that people were given instructions in January last year to begin fasting so that they could “get to heaven”.

But Mr Mackenzie has said the deaths could not be the prosecutors a down to him as he closed fortnight’s deadline to his church in 2019. make them public or face Investigators had asked for the possibility that the his time in custody to be suspects could be released. extended several times as Out of the 95 suspects, 64 they continued their had been found in investigation. Shakahola and were They said their inquiries initially treated as victims had now gathered enough and moved to a rescue evidence to charge him and centre. th e others with offences However, investigators including murder, assault later found that many of and “facilitating the them had children who had commission of a terrorist died in the forest. act”. Some of them had given They are also facing a false names and identities charge of “subjecting a and failed to account for child to torture”, according their children. to a statement from the director of public prosecutions.

The charges were listed a week after the court ga ve