https://en.sputniknews.africa/20240110/leader-of-kenyan-hunger-cult-may-be-released-if-not-formally-charged-in-14-days-court-states-1064548283.html
Leader of Kenyan Hunger Cult May Be Released If Not Formally Charged in 14 Days, Court States
Leader of Kenyan Hunger Cult May Be Released If Not Formally Charged in 14 Days, Court States
Sputnik Africa
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Pastor Paul Mackenzie, the leader of a Kenyan doomsday hunger cult who forced over 430 of his followers to starve themselves to death, may... 10.01.2024, Sputnik Africa
2024-01-10T09:31+0100
2024-01-10T09:31+0100
2024-01-10T09:31+0100
kenya
east africa
shakahola forest massacre (kenya starvation cult)
religious cult
sub-saharan africa
death
crime
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In December 2023, Kenyan newspaper The Star reported that the death toll among cult followers who starved themselves, believing they would go to heaven that way, had reached 439. Mackenzie and his accomplices are reportedly suspected of terrorism, murder, assisted suicide, kidnapping, extremism, genocide, crimes against humanity, child abuse, fraud and money laundering. However, having spent more than 260 days in custody, the cult leader still has not been formally charged with any of those crimes.If the charges are not brought within 14 days, the controversial religious leader may be released from custody, the report said.Last year, The Star reported that Mackenzie and his 28 accomplices' lawyers had complained that their defendants were being kept in custody without any formal charges and asked the authorities to charge them with any of their alleged crimes.In April, local media reported four people had starved themselves to death, as Mackenzie had preached they would "meet Jesus" that way. Another 11 cult followers were hospitalized. Shortly after, Mackenzie was arrested. In May, the Kenyan prosecutor's office said he would be charged with terrorism.
https://en.sputniknews.africa/20231202/kenyan-starvation-cult-founder-jailed-for-a-year-and-half-for-unlicensed-film-production-1063904937.html
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kenya, east africa, shakahola forest massacre (kenya starvation cult), religious cult , death, crime
kenya, east africa, shakahola forest massacre (kenya starvation cult), religious cult , death, crime
Leader of Kenyan Hunger Cult May Be Released If Not Formally Charged in 14 Days, Court States
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Pastor Paul Mackenzie, the leader of a Kenyan doomsday hunger cult who forced over 430 of his followers to starve themselves to death, may be released from custody if the country's authorities do not formally charge him in 14 days, Citizen TV Kenya reported on Tuesday, citing a court ruling.
In December 2023, Kenyan newspaper The Star reported that the death toll among
cult followers who starved themselves, believing they would go to heaven that way, had reached 439. Mackenzie and his accomplices are reportedly suspected of terrorism, murder, assisted suicide, kidnapping, extremism,
genocide, crimes against humanity,
child abuse, fraud and money laundering. However, having spent more than 260 days in custody, the cult leader still has not been formally charged with any of those crimes.
"This is the longest pre-charge detention in the history of the country... In my view, that is sufficient time within which the pending investigations ought to have been completed," the broadcaster quoted Senior Principal Magistrate Y. Shikanda as saying in his ruling.
If the charges are not brought within 14 days, the controversial religious leader may be released from custody, the report said.
Last year, The Star reported that Mackenzie and his 28 accomplices' lawyers had complained that their defendants were being kept in
custody without any formal charges and asked the authorities to charge them with any of their alleged crimes.
In April, local media reported four people had starved themselves to death, as Mackenzie had preached they would "meet Jesus" that way. Another 11 cult followers were hospitalized. Shortly after, Mackenzie was arrested. In May, the Kenyan prosecutor's office said he would be charged with
terrorism.
