Controversial preacher Paul Mackenzie and 94 other accused persons have been placed on their defence in the Shakahola manslaughter case after a Mombasa court ruled that prosecutors had presented sufficient evidence linking them to the deaths of hundreds of victims.
In a ruling delivered on Thursday, June 4, the Mombasa Magistrate’s Court found that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) had established a prima facie case against all the accused persons, requiring them to respond to the charges before the court.
The case involves 238 counts of manslaughter linked to the Shakahola tragedy, one of the deadliest cult-related incidents in Kenya’s history.
According to prosecutors, the offences were allegedly committed between January 2021 and February 2023. The accused persons have denied all the charges.
The court’s decision follows months of hearings during which the prosecution presented evidence from 94 witnesses. The magistrate ruled that the evidence was sufficient to warrant the defence phase of the trial.
Following the ruling, Mackenzie informed the court that he intends to call 20 witnesses in support of his defence. The defence hearing is scheduled to take place between July 17 and July 23, 2026.
The ruling marks a major milestone in the high-profile case that has attracted national and international attention since authorities uncovered mass graves in Shakahola Forest in Kilifi County.
Apart from the manslaughter proceedings, Mackenzie and several co-accused persons are facing additional cases in various courts. These include terrorism-related charges before the Shanzu Law Courts, murder charges before the Mombasa High Court, and child-related offences at the Tononoka Law Courts.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions stated that the accused persons have now been placed on their defence in all the related matters currently before the courts.
The prosecution team is led by Deputy Directors of Public Prosecutions Joseph Kimanthi and Jami Yamina. They are supported by Principal Prosecution Counsels Victor Owiti, Betty Rubia and Alex Ndiema, as well as Prosecution Counsel Yassir Mohammed.
The defence hearings are expected to provide the accused persons an opportunity to challenge the prosecution’s case as the court moves closer to determining responsibility in one of Kenya’s most tragic criminal cases.
