By Tajeu Shadrack Nkapapa
During one of the court sessions, a witness recounted the events leading to Mackenzie and his followers acquiring and relocating to the expansive Shakahola land.
The witness shared that he had resided in Shakahola for 42 years on a piece of land that had been owned by his family for decades.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the witness said that Mackenzie approached him to purchase 10 acres for Ksh 50,000, and the deal was finalized and signed in 2020 at Mackenzie’s Church in Furunzi, Malindi. Following this transaction, settlers began occupying the land.
A different witness recounted their attempts to convince their younger brother, who is a follower of Paul Mackenzie, to return his two children to school, but these efforts were unsuccessful. Despite holding several family discussions to highlight the significance of education, their brother remained unmoved.
The witness also detailed how their brother would bring CDs and DVDs home to watch with the family, attempting to persuade them to join Paul Mackenzie’s Good News International Church.
In 2020, the witness discovered that their brother had been located in Shakahola following a period of his disappearance. Reports indicated that during his time in Shakahola, the witness’s two children had tragically died, not from illness, but from starvation caused by fasting, as advocated by Mackenzie’s teachings.
“In an attempt to rescue their brother, the witness and their cousin journeyed to Shakahola but were denied entry by strategically stationed sentries,” stated the DCI.
DCI further added that the witness promptly informed their family in Malindi of the situation, urging them to report it to Malindi Police Station, when they returned home.
Following this, a mission was organized to assist those in Shakahola, resulting in the successful rescue of the witness’s brother. Nevertheless, the whereabouts of the brother’s wife and their two children, who were also present in Shakahola, remain unknown.
“The final witness to testify today disclosed the existence of an unregistered group called the Malindi Group, comprising approximately 40 members, with the intention of poultry farming in the Shakahola area. The group identified available land parcels in Shakahola for potential purchase and met with the Mwabaya Mwaro clan, the owners of the land. Subsequently, the clan sold 500 acres of land adjacent to Paul Mackenzie’s Shakahola land to the group,” the DCI noted.
“In April 2023, while putting beacons on the purchased land, the group heard cries for help emanating from a bush within Mackenzie’s land. Upon approaching the distressed voices, they discovered four emaciated women in dire need of assistance,” wrote the DCI.
“Unfortunately, their efforts to aid the women were thwarted by armed sentries loyal to Mackenzie. Upon their return to Malindi, the group reported the incident to Malindi Police Station, which led to a subsequent rescue operation,” the DCI added.
The hearing will continue from 24th to 27th September 2024.