Kilifi cult leader Paul Mackenzie , his wife Rhoda Maweu and their 16 followers will be remain in custody as the court approved the application for them to be detained for 30 more days.
Shanzu court rules that the unfolding situation at Shakahola, where more than 133 bodies have been exhumed and several victims rescued, cannot be ignored.
Principal Magistrate Yusuf Shikanda has also ruled that the respondents’ safety and security may be at risk if they are released on bond at this stage.
Mackenzie a pastor at Good news International Church, Malindi was first released by a Malindi court before being rearrested and presented at the upper Shanzu Court, Mombasa. He was first arrested three weeks ago for cultism after it emerged that he has been manipulating his followers to starve to death in preparation to meet Jesus Christ.
By Tuesday 9th May, 133 bodies had been exhumed as the Government flagged off the second phase of exhumation where 21 bodies were exhumed on Tuesday in a second mass grave.
Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Prof Kithure Kindiki has confirmed they had marked 20 mass graves in the 800-acre land which meant they were going to exhume many more bodies in the remaining 8 mass grave yet to be touched.
Mackenzie’s third and only surviving wife together with the followers were arrested a week after her husband’s arrest from a hideout in Mtwapa Town where they had been holed up praying for his release.
In October 2017, Mackenzie had been arrested and charged in court for radicalization, promoting extreme beliefs, offering education in unregistered institution, failing to take his children to compulsory primary and secondary education and failing to provide the children with basic education.
He was granted a conditional cash bail of Kshs. 100,000 in the alternative bond of Kshs. 500,000 with a surety and was acquitted after hearing on 29th October 29, 2021 under Section 210 of the criminal Procedure Code.
In 2019, the pastor and some of his follower were again charged at the Malindi Magistrate’s court with child neglect among other charges, he pleaded not guilty on all the instances and was released on cash bail of Kshs. 500,000 and in the alternative bond of Kshs. 1,000,000 with one surety.
The Judicial Service Commission that handles disciplinary issues were tasked with examining the issue confirming three criminal cases against Mackenzie.
Pastor Ezekiel Odero of The New Life Prayer Center and Church whose church has also been linked to the ugly act against humanity was also arrested and charged in the same court there after released seven days later on a Kshs. 1.5 Million cash bail.
