Kenyan starvation cult leader sentenced to 200 years for child murders

A Kenyan self-proclaimed preacher named Paul Mackenzie has been handed a 200-year prison sentence for the murder of 190 children and one adult, in a case known as the "Shakahola Forest Massacre". The victims were allegedly starved to death by Mackenzie to meet the biblical figure, Jesus Christ. The cult's compound was discovered to contain hundreds of bodies in 2023.

Mackenzie was convicted of 190 counts of murder between January 2021 and September 2023. He faces additional charges of manslaughter and terrorism in other trials. While prosecutors sought the death penalty, Kenya's law has not seen an execution since 1987. Officials claim they could not act swiftly enough to prevent the tragedy.

The cult denounced formal education, modern medicine, and the outside world, and required members to isolate themselves. Mackenzie was arrested in April 2023 after authorities took notice of the cult's activities.