{
  "id": 15681998,
  "title": "Kenyan death cult leader found guilty of 191 murder charges",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/20/kenyan-death-cult-leader-found-guilty-of-191-murder-charges",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-20T01:36:09.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "ABC News AU",
    "slug": "abc-news-au",
    "url": "https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-20/kenyan-starvation-cult-leader-paul-mackenzie-guilty/107286796"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "A Kenyan preacher and 28 associates were found guilty on Monday of murdering 190 children and one adult, according to The Korea Times. The convictions took place in an open-air Mombasa courtroom, where judge Diana Kavedza Mochache ruled that the prosecution had proved the case against all 29 accused individuals. The killings are linked to the Shakahola Forest Massacre, involving a community established inland from the Malindi beach resort.\n\nThe Korea Times reports that self-proclaimed pastor Paul Mackenzie allegedly incited followers to starve to death in an attempt to meet Jesus. ABC News AU notes that the pastor used religious teachings to enforce deadly fasting on his followers and their children. While the specific conviction covers 191 deaths, The Korea Times states that more than 400 bodies of men, women, and children have been unearthed at the site since 2023.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 9,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "Kenyan court convicts starvation cult leader for murder of 191 people",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/19/kenyan-court-convicts-starvation-cult-leader-for-murder-of-191-people",
        "published": "2026-10-19T15:34:22.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "DW News",
        "title": "Kenyan cult leader Paul Mackenzie found guilty over 191 starvation deaths",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/19/kenyan-cult-leader-paul-mackenzie-found-guilty-over-191-starvation",
        "published": "2026-10-19T15:49:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "South China Morning Post",
        "title": "Kenyan starvation cult leader found guilty of murder of 191 children, 1 adult",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/19/kenyan-starvation-cult-leader-found-guilty-of-murder-of-191-children",
        "published": "2026-10-19T15:51:17.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Kenyan starvation cult leader convicted in deaths of nearly 200 children",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/19/kenyan-starvation-cult-leader-convicted-in-deaths-of-nearly-200",
        "published": "2026-10-19T16:17:02.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "RFI English",
        "title": "Kenyan cult leader, assistants guilty on all charges over 191 starvation deaths",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/19/kenyan-cult-leader-assistants-guilty-on-all-charges-over-191",
        "published": "2026-10-19T16:21:17.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "IOL",
        "title": "Kenyan cult leader guilty on all charges over 191 starvation deaths",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/19/kenyan-cult-leader-guilty-on-all-charges-over-191-starvation-deaths",
        "published": "2026-10-19T16:32:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "People Daily Kenya",
        "title": "Mackenzie guilty verdict: What Kenyan law says about punishment for murder convictions",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/19/mackenzie-guilty-verdict-what-kenyan-law-says-about-punishment-for",
        "published": "2026-10-19T17:00:45.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "GBC Ghana",
        "title": "Kenyan cult leader found guilty of murdering 191 people, mostly children",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/19/kenyan-cult-leader-found-guilty-of-murdering-191-people-mostly",
        "published": "2026-10-19T18:10:12.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}