A former follower of Pastor Paul Mackenzie has given heartbreaking testimony before the Shanzu Law Courts in Mombasa, describing how he lost six of his children after allegedly embracing teachings that encouraged followers to reject the Bible, deceive government officials and fast until death as a way of reaching heaven.
According to a statement issued by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) on August 5, 2026, the witness, identified as J.O., was the prosecution's 19th witness in the ongoing radicalisation case against Mackenzie and seven co-accused. His testimony focused on what he said he experienced while living in Shakahola and Kwa Binzaro between May 2021 and February 2023.
J.O. emotionally narrated to the court how six of his children, aged two, four, six, 13, 15 and 16 years, died at Kwa Binzaro. He said four children from his first wife survived because they were not living with him at the settlement.
The witness told the court that followers regularly attended teachings held under what he described as "Mitola" trees, where Mackenzie allegedly discouraged them from reading the Bible.
According to his testimony, Mackenzie taught that "the Bible was viewed as a signboard that directs somebody but does not accompany him/her" and that followers no longer needed it because "they had Jesus with them, and they could see and communicate with him." The witness said he understood this to mean Mackenzie was referring to himself as Jesus.
J.O. further told the court that followers were encouraged to separate themselves from relatives, abandon ordinary life and prepare for death through prolonged fasting, which he said was presented as the quickest way to reach heaven.
He also testified that members were encouraged to lie, especially to government officials, because Mackenzie allegedly viewed "all levels of national administration from the president to the village elder" as evil. He added that followers were also taught to deceive members of other churches as well as relatives who were not part of the movement.
The court also heard that followers were forbidden from marrying because they were taught that "there is no marriage in heaven." J.O. said many members stopped working, separated from their spouses and cut ties with relatives after being told that employment and family life were unnecessary for people preparing to enter heaven.
The witness further testified that followers were instructed to undertake prolonged fasting without food or water until death. He said the practice was known as "kufunga express", meaning followers believed fasting until death was the quickest route to heaven.
J.O. said he personally witnessed several people die after prolonged fasting.
Recalling one of the most painful moments, the witness told the court that his four-year-old child repeatedly cried for milk tea before dying. He said that after the child took a final breath, three members identified as Tuva, George and Kahindi arrived and shouted "amepenya", a term he said members used to mean that a person had died and gone directly to heaven.
He became emotional as he described another child repeatedly calling out the names of family members, siblings and teachers while crying for help. J.O. told the court that people who are now before the court stopped him from intervening despite his attempts to help the child.
The witness also alleged that he saw Tom and Kahindi suffocating victims, including a man identified as Owino, whom he said was still alive before he was allegedly suffocated.
The prosecution continues presenting its case against Mackenzie and his seven co-accused before the Shanzu Law Courts in Mombasa.