A Kenyan Cult leader charged with manslaughter  after telling his church members to fast to death before the world ends. Ninety-five individuals, including self-proclaimed Kenyan pastor Paul Mackenzie and his wife, have been charged with manslaughter in the Mombasa law court. The charges stem from the alleged deaths of 429 members, including children, of Mackenzie’s Good News International Church between January 2021 and February 2023.

The bodies were discovered in shallow graves on an 800-acre ranch located in the remote Shakahola Forest in Kilifi County. The graves were found after police rescued 15 emaciated church members who revealed that Mackenzie had instructed them to fast to death before the world’s end.

Autopsies conducted on some of the bodies revealed causes of death including starvation, strangulation, and suffocation. Prosecutors have indicated their intention to charge Mackenzie and the other defendants with murder, manslaughter, terrorism, and torture.

During the court hearing, the 95 accused individuals pleaded not guilty to the 238 counts of manslaughter. The magistrate ruled that the accused would appear before the court on February 13, where a judgment on bail and bond terms would be given.

However, on Wednesday, prosecutors requested additional time from a court in Malindi to assess the mental fitness of Mackenzie and 30 other suspects. The court will consider this request as the legal process continues to unfold.