By Brian Kiprono - Reporter
Kenya, April 29, 2026 - New details have emerged in the ongoing trial of controversial preacher Paul Mackenzie, as prosecutors presented forensic evidence alongside a survivor’s testimony linking deaths in Kwa Binzaro to the teachings of his church.
At the Mombasa High Court, a forensic expert told the court that investigators followed strict scientific procedures to identify bodies recovered from the site. Inspector Emoru Phillip Awuol said his team carried out “systematic evidence collection, preservation, and analysis” to support DNA identification of victims.
According to his report, samples were collected from multiple locations, including Malindi Hospital, with the process involving families of the missing to help match DNA. The court heard that 46 swab samples were eventually submitted to the Government Chemist for analysis, with photography used to document key evidence.
Alongside the technical findings, a protected witness gave a personal account that painted a troubling picture of life inside the group.
The witness, identified as K.K., told the court she had followed Mackenzie’s teachings for more than a decade, adopting beliefs that rejected formal education, medical care and other aspects of daily life. She said she withdrew her child from school and became fully committed to the church’s teachings.
According to her testimony, followers were encouraged to isolate themselves and move to Shakahola, where they prepared for what they believed was the end of the world.
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K.K. described how she later travelled to Kwa Binzaro with her child after being persuaded to take part in prolonged fasting. She told the court they were confined in a house under strict conditions, including denial of food and water.
She further alleged that attempts by children to seek water were met with punishment, leading to deaths among minors. In her account, some children were restrained, and conditions inside the compound worsened before she managed to escape into a nearby forest.
Prosecutors say the combination of forensic findings and witness accounts is central to building the case, as the court continues to examine the link between the teachings and the deaths reported in the area.
The trial is ongoing.