# Doomsday cult leader found guilty of 191 murders

> Paul Mackenzie, a Kenyan cult leader, was found guilty of murdering 191 children and one adult after instructing followers to starve themselves to death.
- Title: Doomsday cult leader found guilty of 191 murders · Dailymail
- Summary: Paul Mackenzie, a Kenyan cult leader, was found guilty of murdering 191 children and one adult after instructing followers to starve themselves to death.
- Keywords: paul mackenzie, good news international church, shakahola forest, kenya, cult, murder, starvation, child abuse, mass graves, kenyan court, news, entertainment
- Source: Dailymail — https://dailymail.com/news/article-16221237/cult-leader-starve-children-guilty.html?ito=1490&ns_campaign=1490&ns_mchannel=rss
- Published: 2026-10-19T16:12:46+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: paul mackenzie, good news international church, shakahola forest, kenya, cult, murder, starvation, child abuse, mass graves, kenyan court, news, entertainment
## Paul Mackenzie found guilty
Paul Mackenzie, a Kenyan cult leader, was found guilty of murdering 191 children and one adult after instructing followers to starve themselves to death.
## Mackenzie's cult activities
Mackenzie ran the Good News International Church in Kenya and told families schools were 'Satanic', convincing disciples the world was ending.

> Satanic
## Mass graves discovered
Police discovered extensive shallow graves near Mackenzie's church in the Shakahola Forest in 2023 after a tip-off.
## Over 400 bodies recovered
More than 400 bodies were recovered from the Shakahola Forest, but only 26 were identified due to severe decomposition.
## Mackenzie's starvation plan
Mackenzie planned mass starvation in three phases: first children, then women and young men, and finally the remaining men.
## Cult members' restrictions
Mackenzie forbade followers from sending children to school or taking them to hospitals, branding institutions as Satanic.

> Satanic
## Cult living conditions
Cult members lived in makeshift homes made of polythene sheeting and thatch, divided into areas with biblical names.
## Court testimony
Justice Diana Kavedza Mochache stated children were isolated and denied food while parents watched in some cases.
## Mackenzie's appearance
Mackenzie appeared in court wearing a striped polo shirt and red trousers, sitting alongside his wife who was a co-accused.
## Family impact
Francis Wanje, 62, lost eight family members including two grandchildren to the cult and described severe psychological trauma.
## Initial tip-off
A local man told police in mid-March 2023 that his brother and wife had starved their children to death in the forest on Mackenzie's orders.
## Arrest and bail
Mackenzie was arrested but released on bail after which he brought forward the date he told followers the world would end.
## Second arrest
Police arrested Mackenzie again in April 2023 and began systematically exhuming mass graves.
## Other charges
Mackenzie faces terrorism-related charges for the forest deaths, which he has denied.
## Kwa Binzaro deaths
Prosecutors say Mackenzie directed the deaths of 52 people in Kwa Binzaro village, which lies about 30 km from Shakahola.
## Kenyan government response
Kenyan President William Ruto said government agencies should have prevented the deaths and took responsibility as president.
## Key takeaway

Paul Mackenzie, a Kenyan cult leader, was found guilty of murdering 191 children and one adult after instructing followers to starve themselves to death.