Human rights activists in Malindi have demanded the arrest of a controversial pastor who was released by a Malindi court on a Sh10,000 bond arguing that his release will interfere with investigations.
Pastor Paul Mackenzie Nthenge of Good News International Church is alleged to have forced his congregants to fast to death starting with children than women and finally men with the promise that they will die peacefully before the world is cursed by God.
He is not new to controversy and has been in court on several occasions facing various charges ranging from incitement to disobedience of the law, religious incitement, promoting radicalization and indoctrination of Children. All this happened between 2016 and 2019 before he closed his Malindi church.
Mackenzie went underground only to resurface this time with the allegation of starving people to death.
Human rights activists led by Mathias Shipeta, Victor Kaudo and Jacinta Mbeyu now say the pastor has crossed the red line and stern action needs to be taken.
Addressing journalists in Malindi town, Shipeta demanded that the government exhumes the bodies of two children alleged to have starved to death and buried at Mackenzie’s farm in Shakahola area, 70 kilometres in Malindi rural.
The issue arose when a whistleblower and a former faithful of Mackenzie alerted the public of the recent activities.
Mr Humphrey Ngonyo said that he received a phone call from his former faithful who complained of persecution at the farm. He quickly swung into action and notified the chief of the Chakama location and later the police at the Lango Baya police station.
He was however brutality assaulted on Thursday when he accompanied human rights activists to the farm.
He said that more than 150 youth and faithful of Mackenzie attacked him for unearthing their evil deeds. Two children belonging to a former General Service Unit (GSU) officer had already starved to death and their bodies were hurriedly buried.
Mr Lewis Goya Siria, a relative of the deceased children wondered why the pathologists could not visit the site.
The 47-year-old pastor appeared before Malindi Resident Magistrate Olga Onalo on Thursday morning after the investigating officer requested time to conclude investigations.
It is alleged that between March 16 and March 17 this year, Mackenzie starved the children and several others by forcing them to fast at his farm in the Chakama area in Magarini Sub County, Kilifi County.
Those who died, the court heard that they were buried at the farm and their shallow graves flattened to conceal evidence.
The Investigating Officer Joseph Yator asked the court to remand Mackenzie for 15 days to allow him to conclude investigations.
However, Mackenzie’s lawyer Elisha Komora told the court the investigating officers had failed to link his client with the deaths.
Elsewhere, Malindi Sub County Director of Investigations Charles Kamau told journalists that his officers stormed a farm in Chakama after getting information children were being starved to death.
He added that the spiritual leader, Mackenzie was arrested adding that the suspect was once arrested and charged and he closed his church in Malindi before relocating to Chakama.
Kamau said that his officers rescued two couples who were about to die and rushed them to the Malindi Sb County hospital
