By Dorothy Musyoka
The ongoing case of the Shakahola Massacre, involving controversial pastor Paul Nthenge Mackenzie and 95 others, took a gripping turn today as a male minor, protected by the Witness Protection Agency, testified before Chief Magistrate Alex Ithuku at the Mombasa Law Courts.
The witness’s harrowing account shed light on the extreme conditions faced by followers at Mackenzie’s Shakahola camp, revealing disturbing details about coercion, forced fasting, and child abuse.
The witness, who hails from Kitale, recounted how his mother became captivated by Mackenzie’s teachings on television.
“The witness said the mother after following Mackenzie’s teachings on TV called Mackenzie to inform him they were heading to Malindi from Kitale. When they arrived in Malindi they boarded a vehicle and headed to Shakahola Madukani,” noted the ODPP.
The court heard that Mackenzie sent an elderly man named Joseph, who was part of his security team, to welcome them upon their arrival at Shakahola.
According to the witness, Mackenzie convened a large gathering shortly after their arrival. During this meeting, he issued a chilling directive where all followers were to fast.
The order outlined a specific sequence for fasting, beginning with children, followed by the youth, then women, and finally men.
Faced with the harsh conditions and the forced fasting directive, the young witness managed to escape his home after fasting for three days.
The boy was subsequently taken to an elder, where he faced brutal punishment from his mother and Mackenzie’s men for not adhering to the fasting orders.
Despite these efforts to keep him captive, the boy managed to escape again. This time, he was rescued by another elderly man who helped him enroll in school and later arranged for his placement in a children’s home.
“He added that while escaping, an old man took a photo of him and sent it to Mackenzie. The next day the mother went for him to take him back to Shakahola but he refused. This he said forced the mother to come with two elders who came and introduced themselves as chiefs of the area and took him back to Shakahola where he was tied with a rope to deter him from escaping,” the ODPP noted.
Paul Nthenge Mackenzie, who is regarded as the mastermind behind the Shakahola Massacre, and his 95 co-accused are facing multiple serious charges.
These include torture and cruelty against children, violation of the Basic Education Act, terrorism, radicalization, being members of a terrorist group, and murder.