All eyes are on the Mombasa Law Courts today, October 19, as High Court Judge Lady Justice Diana Kavedza-Mochache prepares to hand down a long-awaited judgment in the murder trial of self-proclaimed preacher Paul Nthenge Mackenzie and 35 co-defendants.
The judgment—initially scheduled for October 16 before being pushed to Monday morning—marks a critical milestone in the prosecution arising from the Shakahola forest starvation cult. Mackenzie and his co-accused face 191 murder counts linked to the recovery of over 429 bodies from mass graves in Kilifi County.
During the extensive trial, the prosecution called 121 witnesses and presented expert medical testimony, post-mortem findings, and government analytical reports to establish the state’s case. In April 2026, the court ruled that the prosecution had established a prima facie case, directing the accused to present their defense under Section 211 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Parallel to the trial, the Kilifi County Government issued a 21-day notice late last month directing families to claim identified remains preserved at local facilities. Out of 443 recovered bodies and fragmented remains under preservation, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has successfully identified 14 victims. Unclaimed remains will be interred in a court-approved site near the Shakahola forest.
The judicial proceedings at the Mombasa Law Courts remain under heavy security as victims’ families, human rights advocates, and legal observers await the verdict.