- The witness was one of the two witnesses under the witness protection.
- She said her mother and father disagreed after she attempted to influence Mackenzie’s teachings to him
Image: DCI/X
A witness on Tuesday narrated before a Mombasa court how pastor Paul Mackenzie considered his followers chosen ones and non-followers as worldly people.
The witness was one of the two under the witness protection.
He told court that Mackenzie referred to his followers as "Wateule" while those out of Shakahola were regarded as non-followers and were branded "watu wamataifa."
The witness narrated to the court that her mother learned of Mackenzie from watching his preaching on TV while they resided in Eldoret.
She said her mother and father disagreed after she attempted to influence Mackenzie’s teachings to him
The witness said the mother then moved to Kitale before going to Madukani in Malindi, where Mackenzie arranged for someone to pick them up and take them to Shakahola.
Mackenzie is facing multiple counts of murder after more than 430 Fbodies were exhumed from the expansive Shakahola Forest after he allegedly indoctrinated them into fasting to death.
He denies the charges. He’s been in custody since April 15, 2023 when the activities of his Good News International church first came to light.
While in Shakahola, the witness disclosed to court that Mackenzie called for a meeting and instructed his followers to fast until death to see Jesus.
She said she sometimes broke the fast and stole food but faced severe physical punishment when caught.
When he could no longer bear to fast, the witness escaped from Shakahola, but was later arrested and taken back by the "wazee".
She, however, said she successfully escaped from Shakahola, a place she said was heavily guarded.
After being rescued, he explained to the court that he learned about his mother’s passing from a counsellor during a counselling session in Malindi.
The second witness told the court that children who disobeyed Mackenzie’s fasting instructions were tied with ropes and subjected to physical torture.
He disclosed that in one of the meetings he attended, Mackenzie ordered that children would be first to fast, then the youths followed by women and later men.
Another witness who appeared before court on Monday said that Mackenzie had positioned himself to be the last to die.
Meanwhile, Chief Magistrate Alex Ithuku dropped charges against two accused persons in the Shakahola massacre following their deaths.