Controversial Pastor Paul Mackenzie of the Good News International Church has been recently making headlines leaving everyone across the nation debating.
This follows his misleading teachings about the scriptures that has seen his numerous followers lose their lives. As per the most recent reports, 39 bodies have been exhumed from Shakahola bush with some of them found buried in a mass grave.
But when is the genesis of this entire tragic tale?
It stems all the way from October, 2017 when he first received an arrest by police officers. His arrest followed claims by the then Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa, who accused the pastor for causing dropout and truancy among school-going children fellowshipping in his church.
According to a video which leaked to the public domain, later in 2018, some of those children believed to be between ages 6 to 17 years told press that education is satanic and ungodly. This move was challenged by majority of the residents from the region leading to his second arrest.
He was later taken to court and charged with promoting radicalisation and teaching children in an unregistered school at his church.
However, the man of god denied the charges and was later freed on a bond worth Ksh.500,000 with surety of a similar amount.
The pastor’s followers, who included primary, secondary and university students, defended their decisions to dropout of their various schools by quoting Biblical verses.
Upon the pastor’s escape from the hands of law, Aisha Jumwa not believing her eyes, further accused the law enforcers on bribery saying it’s what prevented the church from being closed down.
She said in a past address, “It is absurd that despite having been arrested about three times and charged, the pastor is still scot-free and continues with his work of radicalising school children.”
In December 2018, Aisha Jumwa dared the pastor to storm the premise over claims of absolute radical teachings that misled hundreds of young children in her area she governed during her tenure as an MP of Malindi.
Pastor Paul Mackenzie didn’t let this go without issues a warning to sue Aisha vowing to take action against her and other politicians that had a plot to prevent her church activities from colonizing the region.
“If anyone feels offended about my summons and teachings in accordance to the scripture, let them go to court and produce evidence, I am not afraid to serve my god,” he said during a church service.
Failure by the law enforcers to deal with this during the early days has now landed many families into pools of tears having lost their loved ones at the hands of pastor Paul Mackenzie.
Will he escape with this too?