Shakahola cult chief Paul Mackenzie faces verdict on 191 homicide prices in Kenya

Mackenzie’s son, Dan Paul Mackenzie, mentioned he labored as a cameraperson within the church. “The kids would sit on the again, adults within the center, and everybody would sing worship songs all morning.”

The pastor would begin his fiery sermons at midday, a few of which included “casting out demons”.

The most important church shut down in 2019 and Paul Mackenzie moved to Shakahola forest, encouraging his devotees to observe him.

Peter Shukrani, 23, says his mom relocated to Shakahola with him on the time. He began going to Mackenzie’s church when he was eight years outdated and described him as his “non secular father”, including that he would “by no means say a nasty phrase about him”.

When within the forest, Shukrani fell ailing and his situation deteriorated as a result of remedy was banned.

“My mom would throw away all the drugs I used to be purported to take as a result of she imagine that solely God may heal me,” Shukrani mentioned.

The neighborhood was described as mud homes scattered throughout the huge forest. “We lived a quiet regular life, fasting for a couple of days then having a small meal,” Shukrani mentioned.

By March 2023 when the primary stays have been found by native herders, lots of of individuals had died. “We would carry somebody out of the forest however they have been so frail that they might die in our arms,” defined Salim Karisa, one of many gravediggers.

Shukrani was one of many males rescued from the forest in March 2023.

He was ailing and bed-ridden for weeks till that time, however his situation worsened as a result of his mom would throw away all of the remedy he wanted to recuperate.

“My mom believed Pastor Mackenzie’s doctrine that drugs was evil,” Shukrani mentioned.

“I might have died if I wasn’t rescued from Shakahola forest.”