Dennis Okosun

A Kenyan preacher, Paul Mackenzie, who allegedly forced children to starve to death so that they could “meet Jesus,” is facing judgement in Kenya.

The judge is delivering a verdict in a mass murder charge after 191 people in the forest.

All but one of them children, had succeeded in conscientizing the children through his doomsday’s doctrine that education was forbidden and modern medicine was evil.

Mackenzie along with 29 others pleaded not guilty to murder, as they insisted that they didn’t force anybody to die.

According to agency reports, Mackenzie’s former head of security, Enos Amanya Ngala, was initially accused but then entered a plea deal and became a witness for the prosecution.

It was learnt that Mackenzie and other leaders of the cult are also facing legal cases bothering terrorism, radicalization and denying education to children.

It was gathered that this is the first time the pastor will face a verdict on the most serious charges of murder.

Authorities revealed that over 400 bodies were found in shallow graves in Shakahola forest near the Kenyan coast, where the preacher led his followers from across the country.

“Every grave we found had at least three bodies. Some of the remains were of children as young as a few weeks old,” James, one of the gravediggers disclosed to BBC.

Sadly, one of the parents that lost six children to the cult, Stephen Mwiti, 48, explained that “many bald women and tens of children” surrounding Mackenzie in his house when he went to confront him.

It was further disclosed that Mackenzie’s doctrine forbade make-up and hairstyles. Besides, he charged women to shave off their hair or keep it unkempt.

Mackenzie founded “Good News International Ministries” in 2003 and has drawn thousands of followers in the church’s branches across Kenya in the last 17 years. It was learnt that his runs on “Times TV” which would broadcast his sermons from his church in Malindi.