Kenyan cult leader Paul Mackenzie sentenced to 200 years in prison

Summary

Kenyan cult leader Paul Mackenzie has been sentenced to 200 years in prison for the deaths of 190 children who were starved to death on his orders in Shakahola Forest, according to France 24. Prosecutors said he had convinced followers to fast to reach heaven before the apocalypse, and some victims were beaten, buried alive or dumped in latrines. Twenty-eight accomplices have also been jailed. The case has raised serious questions about the authorities' failure to act on repeated warning signs dating back to 2017. The death toll from the wider investigation has reached 448 confirmed bodies, with around 500 suspected victims.

Timeline

1. France 24

   6 Nov 2026, 21:23 UTCSource ↗

   France 24 reports that cult leader Paul Mackenzie has been sentenced to 200 years in prison for the murder of 190 children starved to death on his orders.

2. France 24

   7 Nov 2026, 12:10 UTCSource ↗

   France 24 reports that Paul Mackenzie was sentenced to 200 years in prison for the deaths of 190 children starved in Shakahola Forest, that 28 accomplices have also been jailed, and that the wider investigation has confirmed 448 bodies.