The Mombasa magistrate court will start hearing witness testimonies on Monday in the case against cult leader Paul Mackenzie and his 94 co-accused.
They are charged with manslaughter.
The charges stem from the Shakahola massacre, where 429 people lost their lives.
The Director of Public Prosecutions has lined up 422 witnesses.
Mackenzie and his co-accused, including 40 women and 55 men, face 238 counts of manslaughter.
They are accused of jointly killing 238 people in the Shakahola forest between January 2021 and September 2023, allegedly as part of a suicide pact related to the teachings of Mackenzie’s Good News International Church.
Mackenzie and his co-accused have pleaded not guilty to manslaughter charges.
In addition to these charges, they are facing separate counts of murder, terrorism and child cruelty in other courts across the Coast region, including Malindi, Mombasa, Shanzu and Tononoka.
In the manslaughter case, the first set of five witness testimonies are scheduled this week, from August 12-15.
Additional hearings are scheduled for September 9-12.
The DPP plans to present electronic evidence and other exhibits to support their case.
Last Thursday, the prosecution team confirmed they had supplied the necessary evidence to the defence lawyers, expressing confidence in their ability to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt.
Prosecution counsel Martin Mbote, representing the DPP, told the court the defence had received a bundle of statements and exhibits with a few remaining pieces of evidence to be provided before the hearing started.
The defence team, led by Lawrence Obonyo, confirmed investigators had served them with the statements and exhibits on May 20.
Mombasa chief magistrate Alex Ithuku has certified the case as ready for hearing, emphasising the proceedings will be uninterrupted and conducted daily to ensure justice is served.
Mackenzie and his co-accused have been in custody for over a year since their arrest, with bail denied due to the seriousness of the charges, lack of a permanent residence, risk of flight and potential witness interference.
They will be present throughout their trial.
