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95 Shakahola Suspects in Court: Terror, Murder, Child Cruelty Charges
The complex case surrounding the Shakahola massacre took another turn on Wednesday as the prosecution requested a 14-day delay in the plea hearing of self-proclaimed preacher Paul Mackenzie and his 30 co-accused. This delay is sought to allow for a mental assessment of all suspects before they enter pleas.
The case stems from the horrific discovery of 429 bodies, many of them children, in the Shakahola Forest near Malindi in September 2023. The remains were linked to Mackenzie and his followers, raising concerns about a potential cult and widespread abuse.
Initially facing 191 charges of murder related to minors, Mackenzie and his co-accused appeared before Justice Thande on Wednesday. However, the prosecution requested the postponement, citing the need for a mental evaluation to determine the suspects’ fitness to stand trial.
Justice Thande granted the request and ordered all suspects to undergo a psychiatric evaluation. The resulting report will be presented in court before the plea hearing, now scheduled for February 6, 2024. Additionally, the judge instructed the Kenya Prisons Service to provide any necessary medical treatment to the accused while they remain in custody.
The court also learned that the 31 suspects will face separate terrorism charges alongside 64 other individuals linked to the Shakahola massacre. These charges include engaging in organized criminal activity, radicalization, facilitating terrorism, and possessing articles related to terrorism offenses.
The complexity of the case is further underlined by the various court appearances planned for the coming weeks. The 95 suspects will face terrorism charges at the Shanzu Law Courts on Thursday, followed by manslaughter charges before the Mombasa Chief Magistrate Court on Tuesday, January 23. Finally, the 31 original suspects will face charges of child cruelty and other offenses at the Tononoka Law Courts on January 25.
In a separate development, Thursday Mackenzie and 94 others accused of terrorism and radicalization in Shakahola denied all charges. The suspects, including Mackenzie’s wife, deputy, security chief, and senior leader, appeared before the Shanzu Law Courts under heavy police escort. They faced five counts related to terrorism and radicalization offenses.
The prosecution, led by Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Victor Mule, laid out a chilling narrative, painting the suspects as members of an “organised criminal group” responsible for the deaths of 429 people, many of them children, in the Shakahola Forest. They all denied the charges of terrorism and radicalization leveled against them by the state.
face five counts under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. They are accused of engaging in organized criminal activity, radicalization, facilitating terrorism, and possessing materials related to terrorism offenses.
All the accused pleaded not guilty and have been remanded until February 18, 2024, when their case will be heard again. Mackenzie is also set to face additional charges in the children’s court in Mombasa, further adding to the legal complexity of this tragic case.
As the legal process unfolds, the families of the victims and the Kenyan public wait for justice and answers. The Shakahola massacre remains a deep wound in the nation’s conscience, and the ongoing legal proceedings are a crucial step towards understanding and addressing this tragedy.
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