Kenya: Verdict expected in Shakahola starvation cult massacre trial

A Kenya court is expected to deliver its verdict on Monday in the trial of self-proclaimed preacher Paul McKenzie and his associate accused of murdering 191 people, most of them children, in one of the country's worst mass casualty cases. The case stemmed from the discovery in 2023 of hundreds of bodies buried in shallow graves in Shakahola Forest near the coastal town of Malindi. Prosecutors allege McKenzie encouraged his followers to stab themselves to death to meet Jesus with children allegedly targeted first. More than 400 bodies have since been recovered from the surrounding area, although some victims remain unidentified. Mackenzie and his associates have pledged not guilty. His lawyers argued that the prosecution's case relies heavily on circumstantial evidence and inconclusive forensic findings. The trial heard testimony from more than 120 witnesses from about events between 2021 and 2023. The tragedy sparked public outrage and renewed calls for tighter oversight of religious organizations in Kenya.