The trial of Paul Mackenzie, accused of leading a cult involved in radicalisation and extremism, has revealed chilling details of how his armed men allegedly stood guard while emaciated and naked followers perished in the Shakahola forest.
The four-day hearing at the Shanzu court revealed that Mackenzie's armed men enjoyed a healthy diet while hundreds of followers of the Good News International Church died of starvation and dehydration.
A witness, who visited the forest to buy 500 acres of land near Mackenzie's property, broke down in tears as he described to Senior Principal Magistrate Leah Juma how he found naked women being guarded by healthy men armed with clubs, machetes and slashers.
The witness, identified as KFK, entered the forest at 11am on April 13, 2023, to mark with beacons the area he wanted to buy.
"The seller and members of the Wabwaya Mware family suggested that we stop and continue the next day because of the risk of wild animals at night and the threat of rain," he told the court during questioning by State counsels Persi Ogega, Jami Yamina and Anthony Musyoka.
KFK, accompanied by 20 others, took a different route home as advised by the locals.
"About 30 minutes into our journey home, I heard some grunts coming from the forest. Our group stopped to investigate the source of the sounds and discovered that they were screams coming from Pastor Mackenzie's side of the forest," said the witness.
Crying out for help in Kiswahili
It was then that the witness noticed about four emaciated women lying on a mat under a canopy of trees, crying out for help in Kiswahili.
"After seeing these women and hearing their cries, I realised that their emaciation was a result of fasting. Before I went to Shakahola that day, my friend had informed me that people in Mackenzie's area were fasting with the intention of meeting Jesus," explained the witness.
As they considered their next move, they heard a male voice shouting in Kiswahili, declaring that there was no escape and demanding their surrender.
Despite the disturbing encounter, he said they decided to continue their journey as darkness was approaching and they were still deep in the forest.
"I heard a man calling for machetes. I positioned myself at the front as we moved on, and soon I saw two armed men stationed at different points along our path," he recounted.
After a brief exchange of words, they were allowed to continue.
He reported the matter to the police, and the next day a group of officers accompanied the witness back into the forest.
They followed the same route where they had seen the women screaming for help. As they continued along the path in the Shakahola forest, they came across a secluded area fenced off with twigs.
"Upon investigation, we discovered four emaciated men lying on mats spread on the ground and screaming. The police and members of the public who had joined us then helped to carry them into the police Landcruiser," the witness said under cross-examination by Mackenzie's lawyers Lawrence Obonyo and Chacha Mwita.
After walking a further 200 metres, the witness said they came across four more men who, unlike the ones they had rescued, appeared to be well-fed.
"The men had a meal of rice and lablab on their plates, ready to eat. Three of them were arrested, although one managed to escape," the witness said.
Continuing, they spotted a mud house with a thatched makuti roof, its door secured from the outside with a binding wire, and sounds of distress coming from inside.
Removed the wire and entered
"We removed the wire and entered. Inside we found two naked and weak women with their legs tied with lessos. One of the women died before she could be taken to the police vehicle, while another was taken to hospital," he explained.
The witness described the discovery of bodies and more emaciated women, children and men.
Sergeant Cyrus Irungu recounted how the terms used to describe death and burial complicated the search for victims of the deadly fast in the forest.
It all started when two men, Daniel Hamisi and Humphrey Ngonyo, arrived at Langobaya police station to report the neglect of three of their relatives' children.
The officer then accompanied the two complainants to the forest, about six kilometres from the station, to rescue the children.
"When we arrived at the house where the children lived, we found a minor being carried by an older woman. The child recognised Humphrey and led the group to a place where his brother had allegedly had his 'harusi' (wedding).
Sergeant Irungu said that when questioned about the whereabouts of his parents, the minor told them that his mother had gone to a wedding.
"We handed the minor over to Humphrey, our mission was purely a rescue operation, not an arrest or investigation. The minor told us that he had not eaten or drunk water for some time. The boy further confirmed to us that his two siblings were starved to death by his parents and buried in their compound in a 'wedding' ceremony," the officer said.
Terrorism-related offences
In the case, Mackenzie, his wife Rhoda Mumbua Maweu and 93 others have denied four terrorism-related offences.
Mackenzie alias Mtumishi alias Nabii alias Papaa, Ms Maweu, Smart Mwakalama and his wife Mary Kadzo Kahindi and 28 others were charged with the offence of engaging in organised criminal activity which endangered lives and resulted in the death of 429 members and followers.
They are also charged with radicalisation, with the State alleging that the suspects promoted an extreme belief system to facilitate ideologically based violence, such as fasting to death, by promoting religious change.
Another group consisting of Baron Chahenza and 63 others are charged with radicalisation, where the State accused them of adopting an extreme belief system to facilitate ideologically based violence, such as fasting to death, by promoting religious change.
Mackenzie and Mwakalama were separately charged with facilitating the commission of a terrorist act, with the State alleging that they facilitated the commission of a terrorist act with intent to endanger the lives of members and followers of Good News International Ministries by transporting them between Shakahola Forest and Malindi town.
Mackenzie and his wife are also charged with possessing CDs, DVDs, books and pamphlets with intent to incite the commission of a terrorist act, namely endangering the lives of members and followers of his church.
The State alleges that the two suspects committed the offence in the Furunzi area of Malindi on different dates between 2020 and 2023.
