Kenyan Cult Leader Convicted of Murdering 191, Including 190 Children

A Kenyan court has found self-proclaimed pastor Paul Mackenzie and approximately 30 associates guilty of murder in connection with the deaths of 191 individuals, predominantly children. The victims were followers of Mackenzie's doomsday cult, who were instructed to fast to death in the Shakahola forest in southeastern Kenya, believing it would lead to salvation.

The conviction follows a harrowing investigation that began in 2023 after authorities received a tip-off. Subsequent exhumations in the Shakahola forest uncovered hundreds of bodies buried in shallow graves, revealing one of the most devastating cult-related tragedies in recent history. Prosecutors argued that Mackenzie and his church orchestrated a sect that compelled followers to starve themselves and their children.