Kenya cult leader who told parents to starve children guilty of 191 murders

Paul Mackenzie, the leader of a Kenyan doomsday cult, has been found guilty of murdering 191 people, all but one of them children. The cult, led by Mackenzie, believed that starving children to death would allow them to "meet Jesus". His doctrine prohibited education and deemed modern medicine "evil". Twenty-eight other leaders of the cult were also convicted of murder, despite repeatedly denying they were forced to die.

Justice Diana Mochache in Mombasa delivered her eight-hour judgement, stating that Mackenzie's followers believed he was "Jesus's mouthpiece". Burials within the forest where the cult was based were referred to as "weddings". A pregnant woman was barred from nursing her newborn baby, who died 12 days later after being instructed to fast to death.

Mackenzie's former head of security, Enos Amanya Ngala, initially faced the charges but later entered a plea deal and became a prosecution witness. Mackenzie and other cult leaders also face other legal cases, including terrorism and radicalisation charges. He is scheduled to be sentenced on November 6.