Death Penalty Demanded for Shakahola Preacher Paul Mackenzie Ahead of Sentencing

Awaiting the court's final verdict, controversial preacher Paul Mackenzie and 28 co-convicts returned to the Mombasa Law Courts on Friday under heavy security. 

The high-stakes appearance marks the final legal hurdle in the case stemming from the Shakahola Forest massacre in Kilifi County, which claimed the lives of 190 children and one adult. Inside the courtroom, Mackenzie, dressed in a grey polo shirt, sat alongside fellow convicts while prison officers maintained close watch. 

Photographs captured the preacher looking toward the front of the room in one frame and seated next to an officer in another. Outside the building, armed guards escorted the group, with some convicts handcuffed in pairs. Among them, a co-convict walked wearing a blue T-shirt bearing the word “CAPTAIN”, with images of the proceedings documented by photojournalist John Chesoli.

The court session follows the conviction of Mackenzie and the 28 others on October 19, 2026, on 191 counts of murder. During the preceding mitigation hearings, the convicts and their defence lawyers urged the bench to exercise leniency. 

The prosecution countered firmly, pressing the court to impose the death penalty on Mackenzie and life imprisonment for the remaining 27 co-convicts. The court's upcoming decision will determine the final penalties for the mass casualty case.