A call from Shimo La Tewa Prison in January 2025 set off a chain of events that would lead a father back into a deadly cult and cost him all his six children.
The protected witness had survived the Shakahola tragedy in 2023.
However, contact from his son, who was in remand over cult-related deaths, reconnected him to the same network, drawing him back with his family into Kwa Bi Nzaro forest, where all his six children later died.
The caller was a member of Good News International church linked to doomsday preacher Paul Mackenzie. He was arrested alongside Mackenzie and 94 others after the exhumation of hundreds of bodies and rescue of survivors in Shakahola.
“The caller introduced himself and asked me to call back urgently. When I did, he told me he was my son, was not feeling well and needed some cash. I sent him money through Prison Welfare till,” said the witness, who lived in Siaya County.
The son continued calling. Soon after, the witness, identified as JO, received another call from Mackenzie, who said he got the number from the son.
The preacher told him the number he used was often off but available on weekends, a contact that would later upend his life.
“I blame my son for this. If it were not for his call, I would not have heard from Mackenzie,” he told the court.
Kwa Bi Nzaro Suspects James Kahindi Kazungu, Thomas Mukonwe, Kahindi Kazungu Garama and Sharleen Anido Temba at the Malindi Law Courts in Kilifi County on September 12, 2025.
Photo credit: Kevin Odit | Nation
“I know Garama. He was in Shakahola and was living in Galilee where Mackenzie used to live during our time in the forest, so he was not a stranger to me,” he said.
Garama told him followers were raising funds to support those in prison over the Shakahola deaths, for items such as soap, clothing and sandals. The funds were collected by Sharleen Temba Anindo, another associate. JO contributed.
Anindo, Garama and Mackenzie are jointly charged with manslaughter over the Kwa Bi Nzaro deaths. They face the charges with Tom Ochieng Mkonwe alias Thomas, Julius Thuva Luwali and Johnson Gona Richard.
They are accused of killing 29 victims in a suicide pact. The first count relates to Samuel Owino Owuoyo, while the remaining counts concern 28 unidentified victims. The offences are alleged to have occurred between January and October 2025 in Chakama, Kilifi County. All have denied the charges.
JO told the court how what he termed “Shakahola season two” was organised, with Mackenzie directing operations from prison through Anindo and Garama.
In January 2025, Mackenzie remained in contact with JO, Garama and Anindo, who coordinated followers across the country.
Garama and Anindo organised a three-day induction meeting at Mundika in Busia from February 27 to March 2 at Pastor David’s home.
Kwa Bi Nzaro cult prime suspect Sharlyne Anindo Temba at the Malindi Law Courts in Kilifi County on September 12, 2025.
Photo credit: Kevin Odit | Nation Media Group
“This meeting was meant to induct new followers. I thought it was a good opportunity to catch up with some of the former members of GNI who we were with in Shakahola. They came and were more than 20 people,” he said.
New followers were called Ngozi Changa, meaning tender skin, referring to those unfamiliar with Mackenzie’s teachings. The meeting aimed to indoctrinate them.
Garama and Anindo taught that fasting to death led to heaven. Sessions ran from 9am to 4pm, with participants sleeping on the floor. A Ugandan woman attended with her three children.
“Garama and Anindo told us that they had held similar sessions in Migori. Anindo told us during this meeting that she had already found alternative land in Malindi, which was being prepared and fenced for prayers to enable followers to repent and go to heaven while clean,” he said.
Anindo showed photographs of the land, including houses already built.
Mackenzie called during the meeting through Garama’s phone and spoke to all attendees, saying fasting to death was the only way to see Jesus and that his deceased wife was waiting.
JO said Mackenzie referred to a court session where a pathologist listed possible causes of death including accidents, dying in sleep or starvation.
“Through Mackenzie’s narration, all of us in the meeting concluded that he was recommending fasting as the best way of going to heaven because one cannot arrange to die in sleep or to be knocked down with a vehicle but could make a choice to fast, die and go to heaven,” he said.
Before ending the call, Mackenzie instructed them to read Joel 2:12 to 17: “Even now, declares the LORD, return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.”
The group agreed to fast in Kwa Bi Nzaro forest. Anindo collected money to support those in custody.
Followers returned home to prepare for the journey, coordinated by Garama and Anindo.
JO left Siaya with his wife and six children on March 31, 2025. He sold his solar lamp and did manual work to supplement Sh2,000 sent by associates.
“Phones and Bible were not allowed in the forest, so I handed my mobile phone to my niece before departure to Malindi,” he said.
They arrived the next day and were taken to a bungalow past Furunzi where four others from the Busia meeting were staying. He learned eight people were already in the forest.
“We drank tea and bread and rested until 3pm. We were then taken to the forest by motorbike. We arrived at around 7pm,” he said.
Pastor Paul Mackenzie when he appeared before a Mombasa court on November 10, 2025.
Photo credit: Kevin Odit | Nation Media Group
“There was a shed in that compound which was roofed with polythene, and a mobile phone was always kept on the inner side of its roof and was used to communicate with Mackenzie,” he said.
Inside, JO lost all six children after they were denied food and water.
“My children cried out loud due to thirst and hunger as time progressed but despite our pleas for water, nobody opened the locked doors or gave us any,” he said.
“Burial was only conducted at night. Even if death occurred in the morning, they would wait until the dead of night to conduct the burial in a secretive place where nobody knows except those involved,” he said.
That night, the second youngest died.
“I informed Anindo, Garama, Tom and Tuva who unlocked the door and arrived while chanting in a celebratory mood, high fiving each other,” he said.
The third child died on April 5 and the fourth on April 7. He later learned Pastor David, his children and the Ugandan woman and two of her children had also died.
“Sometimes they would wait for more bodies before proceeding to the forest to bury. They avoided frequent trips, so they would wait for at least five deaths before burial,” he said.
Graves discovered at Kwa Bi Nzaro area, within Shakahola Forest, Kilifi County on August 15, 2025.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
After the fourth death, his request for water and to see the graves was denied.
On April 8, Mackenzie called and urged him to let the children continue.
“Let the children continue with their fast, they are about to complete the journey. They have come from far,” he said Mackenzie told him.
On April 15, the second born died at about 7pm.
“She was very energetic. I heard her cry out loud calling me, then she went quiet. I suspect she was strangled. I was not allowed to view her body properly, I was chased away within seconds of viewing her body,” he said.
After the final death, JO heard Mackenzie confirm it.
“I heard Mackenzie instruct Anindo to relocate us to a rented house in Malindi for about a month before we return later to continue with the fast,” he said.
They were moved to Kaoyeni village near Malindi, later identified by police as a holding area.
On May 12, JO contacted Mackenzie to complain that Anindo and Garama had abandoned him. They later warned him not to contact Mackenzie directly.
A week later, he and his wife were returned to the forest but spared and made caretakers. He witnessed many others, including children, being brought to fast to death and estimates at least 40 people died.
Unable to endure further deaths and denied access to his children’s graves, JO escaped on July 18 pretending to cut grass. He alerted relatives and a village elder, who contacted police.
He returned and prepared his wife for rescue, which came at about 5pm. During the operation, Anindo contacted Mackenzie, saying an insider had betrayed them.
