Witness: Children beaten for seeking water in Shakahola

A witness has told the High Court that children were beaten for attempting to seek water during a fasting ordeal in Kwa Binzaro, in a case involving controversial preacher Paul Mackenzie and co-accused persons.

According to a statement by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), the testimony was presented before the High Court in Mombasa during the ongoing murder trial.

The prosecution said the evidence forms part of its case linking events at Shakahola and Kwa Binzaro to the deaths of several victims.

The protected witness, identified as K.K., told the court that followers of the Good News International Church were subjected to strict confinement under teachings that promoted prolonged fasting and separation from normal life.

She testified that the group believed they were preparing for the end of the world.

"The court heard that followers were encouraged to isolate themselves and even purchase land in Shakahola, where they would prepare spiritually for what they believed was the imminent end of the world," the statement says.

K.K. told the court that conditions inside the compound deteriorated as the fasting continued, with children particularly affected due to prolonged deprivation of food and water.

According to the ODPP statement, she said children who attempted to seek water were met with violence.

She told the court that such attempts were punished through beatings administered by some of the individuals identified as co-accused in the case.

"According to her testimony, attempts by children to seek water were met with beatings by co-accused individuals, leading to the deaths of at least three minors. She described disturbing scenes, including children being restrained with ropes, before she eventually managed to escape into the forest," the statement adds.

She said the children were weak and dehydrated and could not withstand the conditions imposed inside the compound.

K.K. further told the court that followers were instructed to remain within designated areas and discouraged from external contact or intervention, which she said intensified suffering among those inside.

The ODPP said the testimony forms part of a broader evidentiary framework that includes forensic analysis and accounts from survivors.

Investigators have previously informed the court that body samples were collected and subjected to DNA testing to assist in identifying victims.

The prosecution continues to present evidence, it says links the teachings to conditions that allegedly led to multiple deaths.

The case also involves forensic experts who have testified on the recovery and processing of remains from different sites.

"An inspector's report, dated August 12, 2025, referenced documentation and sampling carried out at Malindi Hospital and other locations across the country to support DNA identification of victims," the statement noted.

He told the court that internationally accepted DNA sampling procedures were followed, with photography used as a key data collection method.

A total of 46 swab samples were collected and later handed over to the Government Chemist for analysis.

The matter remains under active hearing, with additional witnesses expected to testify.