A Kenyan court has sentenced cult leader Paul Mackenzie to 200 years in prison for the murders of 191 people, including 190 children, in the Shakahola starvation tragedy. The High Court in Mombasa handed down the sentence on Friday, 6 November 2026, in one of the most closely watched criminal cases in Kenya's history.

Justice Diana Kavedza imposed two consecutive 100-year terms, according to Capital FM: one for murders committed through enforced starvation and one for direct homicides. Pulse Kenya reported that the judge described Mackenzie as bearing "primary criminal culpability" as the overall leader of the Good News International Church and the Shakahola settlement. Prosecutors had sought the death penalty, which the court did not impose.

Convictions followed October verdict

Mackenzie and 28 co-accused were convicted on 19 October 2026 on 191 counts of murder, after the court found the prosecution had proved the charges beyond reasonable doubt. The 28 others received sentences ranging from 10 to 160 years, reflecting their individual roles and levels of participation, according to Capital FM.

The case came to light in April 2023, when police began uncovering mass graves in Shakahola Forest near Malindi in Kilifi County. The court found that Mackenzie directed followers to fast to death in the belief they would meet Jesus, with the practice beginning with children before extending to other members of the congregation. The 191 convictions cover deaths between January 2021 and September 2023.

Mackenzie's lawyer has said he will appeal the sentence. He also faces separate proceedings, including a case over 52 deaths at another site, in which he has pleaded not guilty. The sentencing does not bring all legal cases linked to Mackenzie and his associates to an end.