Kenyan cult leader sentenced to 200 years in prison

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Issued on: 07/11/2026 - 13:10Modified: 07/11/2026 - 13:10

Kenyan cult leader Paul Mackenzie has been sentenced to 200 years in prison for the deaths of 190 children who were starved to death on his orders in Shakahola Forest. Prosecutors said he had convinced followers to fast to reach heaven before the apocalypse, with some victims beaten, buried alive or dumped in latrines. Twenty-eight accomplices have also been jailed. The case has raised serious questions about the authorities' failure to act on repeated warning signs dating back to 2017, with the death toll from the wider investigation reaching 448 confirmed bodies and around 500 suspected victims.