Shakahola suspects resume fasting to protest alleged mistreatment
Pastor Paul Mackenzie and his alleged 29 associates at the Shanzu Law Courts during the mention of the case in this file photo.
Three alleged followers of doomsday preacher Paul Mackenzie have resumed fasting in Shimo la Tewa prison, where they are being held for the Shakahola massacre.
The Shanzu Court was informed on Tuesday that three female suspects had resumed their fasting, which could jeopardise their attendance at the trial due to starvation.
According to their lawyer, Lawrence Obonyo, one of the suspects is on a prayer fast, while two others are starving to protest alleged ill-treatment by prison guards.
Principal Magistrate Leah Juma ordered Shimo la Tewa prison authorities to take them to the hospital.
The magistrate also ordered that a medical report on their health be submitted to the court.
This is not the first time the suspects have resumed fasting after being rescued from the Shakahola Forest, where Mackenzie and his associates allegedly oversaw the starvation of hundreds of followers of the Good News International Church.
Last year, before they were formally charged, the suspects, including Mackenzie, resumed fasting to protest against prolonged detention without trial, violation of their rights, and mistreatment in prison.
This led the authorities to seek a court order for compulsory feeding to prevent death.
At the same time, the court has officially scheduled a date for Mackenzie and his 94 co-accused to stand trial for the 13 terrorism-related charges.
The witnesses in this case will begin presenting their evidence from July 8-11 and July 22-25.
Delivery of justice
The magistrate emphasised her commitment to ensuring the timely delivery of justice to all the accused individuals, instructing the parties to adhere to the specified timelines.
"All parties must be prepared to proceed; otherwise, ample notice should be provided to everyone. Any party planning to submit applications must give sufficient notice upon filing in court," stated Justice Juma.
The court also instructed the probation department to expedite the preparation of pre-bail reports.
The magistrate granted the probation team an additional 21 days to complete reports on the remaining 35 out of 95 accused individuals.
The pre-bail reports are necessary for the court to consider the prosecution's application opposing the release of Mackenzie and his co-accused on bond.
Justice Juma instructed that the matter be revisited towards the end of this month to confirm the completion of probation reports and the submission of all documents the prosecution plans to rely on in the case.
On the mentioned date, the magistrate will schedule a ruling date on the prosecution's application opposing the release of Mackenzie and his co-accused on bond.
Mackenzie and 94 others are facing charges of engaging in organised criminal activity, radicalisation and facilitating the Commission of a Terrorist Act and having an article connected with an offence under the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2012.
It is alleged that on various dates between 2020 and 2023, the accused persons, who were members of the Good News International Ministries, an organised criminal group, engaged in organised criminal activities at the Kwa Mackenzie area of Shakahola Forest, Chakama Location of Magarini Sub-County within Kilifi County, endangering lives and killing 429 members and followers.
Promoting religious change
They are also accused of promoting and/or adopting an extreme belief system to facilitate ideologically motivated violence, such as fasting to death by promoting religious change, which occurred between 2020 and 2023 in Shakahola Forest in Kilifi County.
The accused persons are also said to have facilitated the commission of a terrorist act by transporting the members and followers of the church between Shakahola Forest and Malindi Township in Kilifi County, thereby endangering their lives.
It is alleged that Mackenzie and two others, within the same period at the Furunzi area in Malindi Sub-County in Kilifi County, were found knowingly in possession of CDs, DVDs, books and pamphlets for use in instigating the commission of a terrorist act.
The case will be mentioned on May 29.
