Leader of doomsday cult arraigned for death of over 400 followers

• He appeared in court in the Indian Ocean port city of Mombasa along with 94 co-defendants on Monday

In Kenya, one Paul Nthenge Mackenzie, is facing prosecution over the death of more than 400 of his followers.

Mackenzie, who is the leader of a Kenyan doomsday cult and self-proclaimed pastor, is standing trial on charges of murder and terrorism.

He appeared in court in the Indian Ocean port city of Mombasa along with 94 co-defendants on Monday.

Mackenzie was arrested in April 2023 for allegedly inciting his followers to starve to death in order to “meet Jesus”.

He and his co-accused also face charges of manslaughter, kidnapping, and child torture and cruelty in separate cases.

According to reports, the remains of more than 440 people have been exhumed in a remote wilderness from the Indian Ocean coastal town of Malindi.

The autopsies carried out on some of the bodies revealed that while starvation appeared to be the main cause of death, some of the victims including children were strangled, beaten, or suffocated.

Previous court documents also said that some of the bodies had had their organs removed