By Dorothy Musyoka
A 17-year-old boy has narrated to a Mombasa court how Paul Nthenge Mackenzie, the mastermind behind the Shakahola massacre, allegedly shielded a man who defiled his younger sister inside Mackenzie’s Good News International Church (GNI) in Malindi, Kilifi County.
The boy, who was 10 years old at the time of the incident, testified that the man responsible for the defilement was the husband of a female preacher at the GNI church.
“The then 10 year old boy stated that the man was a husband to a female preacher at Mackenzi’s GNI church located at Furunzi- Malindi, Kilifi County,” the ODPP stated.
He recounted that Mackenzie, along with another pastor, George Mwaura, obstructed his mother’s attempts to report the crime to the police, instead urging her to let the church handle the matter internally.
“He accused Mackenzie and Pastor George Mwaura of obstructing his mother from reporting the incident at Malindi police station,” the ODPP explained.
The court, presided over by Mombasa Chief Magistrate Hon. Alex Ithuku, heard that Mackenzie and Pastor Mwaura’s actions frustrated the family’s pursuit of justice.
Instead of addressing the issue, the church leaders allegedly covered it up, leading to further trauma for the victim and her family.
The witness revealed that his sister was later married off to the man who had defiled her.
“The court heard that the girl was later married to a man who had eloped with her at a tender age,” stated the ODPP.
This incident drastically changed the boy’s perception of Mackenzie and his church, eventually causing him to abandon the daily Bible study sessions he had been attending.
However, his attempt to leave the church was met with severe punishment.
The boy testified that one morning, his mother brought a man to their home, who then tied his hands and forcibly took him back to the Bible studies.
“He said one early morning his mother arrived home with a man who tied his hands from the back and returned him to the bible studies,” stated the ODPP.
“The minor told Hon. Ithuku that upon arrival an accused person before the court and Mackenzie’s brother whipped him thoroughly for absconding the studies,” the ODPP added.
Upon arrival, Mackenzie’s brother, who is also an accused person in the case, whipped him as punishment for his absence.
The witness described how children at the GNI church were indoctrinated to reject education, medication, and other worldly affairs, instead focusing solely on memorizing Bible verses.
The court was also told that one of the accused, Evans Kolombe Sirya, coached the children to lie in a previous court case against Mackenzie, threatening them with divine retribution if they told the truth.
The boy’s mother was among those who relocated to Shakahola Forest, following Mackenzie and his followers. She later died after several days of fasting, and her remains are yet to be found.
DNA nalysis is ongoing to identify her among the 429 bodies recovered from shallow graves in the forest.
Further hearings in the case are scheduled to continue.