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| Pastor Paul Mackenzie in court |
Witnesses testifying against Shakahola massacre prime suspect Pastor Paul Mackenzie have revealed that the controversial preacher allegedly twisted biblical teachings to compel his followers into extreme fasting that led to mass deaths.
Mackenzie, the leader of the Good News International Church, along with his wife Rhoda Mumbua Maweu and 93 others are accused of orchestrating the deaths of hundreds of his followers in the Shakahola Forest.
Two witnesses who took to the stand on Wednesday, told Mombasa Chief Magistrate Hon. Alex Ithuku Mackenzie interpreted the word of God in a manner that led men and women to fast inside Shakahola forest and in the process deny their children food and water till they died.
A 17-year-old girl also narrated to the court how Mackenzie interpreted biblical verses within the context of his radical understanding, often contradicting well-known verses.
The minor testified that Mackenzie contradicted a famous biblical teaching “Whoever doesn’t want to work shouldn’t be allowed to eat,” instead instructing his followers to abandon work, education, and other worldly affairs.
She revealed how Mackenzie would regularly interpret his followers’ dreams as messages from God directing engage in non-stop praying and fasting.
The witness further stated that she witnessed deaths of six people including a child near their makeshift home inside Shakahola forest.
She recounted the tragic deaths of some victims who were buried in shallow graves within the forest, a ritual Mackenzie allegedly referred to as “harusi”(weddings) a symbolic journey to meet Jesus.
The prosecution witness identified 83 out of 94 accused persons as among people she spotted inside Shakahola forest.
Among them, some worked as Mackenzie’s armed militia tasked to guard them from invaders mostly locals and herders within Furunzi in Lango Baya in Malindi sub county.
Former Officer Commanding Lango Baya Police Station, Hamara Hassan, testified that Mackenzie had previously filed complaints with the police, including one accusing a woman of defamation for claiming he was responsible for ferrying and killing people inside the forest.
Another complaint detailed the mistreatment of three children by their parents within the forest, leading to a joint operation between police officers and DCI detectives.
The operation led to the discovery of 15 severely weakened followers, three of whom died during the rescue attempt.
By Prudence Wanza