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The recent discovery of bodies at Shakahola has caused shock due to the fact that the man at the center of the situation had previously been arrested and released due to a lack of evidence.
Paul Mackenzie, the founder of Good News International Church, has been encouraging his followers to fast to death, leading many to believe that these deaths could have been prevented.
As of Monday evening, 67 bodies had been retrieved from Shakahola forest while other followers of the Pastor Mackenzie church were found starving and on the brink of death.
READ: Shakahola Massacre: Families urge gov't to find living kin instead of exhuming the dead
Here are some 10 little-known facts about Shakahola's pastor Mackenzie
- Mackenzie was first taken to Malindi by his sister.
- He was a taxi driver before he became a pastor.
- His church, Good News International, purports to be followers of the End Time Message of William Branham, who was believed to stage miracles.
- Mackenzie was charged four times between 1997 and 2003 for his sermons but was acquitted each time due to lack of evidence.
- In 2017, about 93 children were rescued from his church.
- In October 2018, residents in Magarini, Kilifi County demolished one of his churches.
- In 2019, Mackenzie was arrested for inciting the public against registration for Huduma number by likening it to the Number of the Beast.
- His fishy activities were first flagged by Mayungu Children Rescue Centre in 2017.
- He moved his 'church' to Shakahola in 2022.
- He is married to one wife, Joyce Mwikamba.
Pastor Zablon wa Yesu arrested as Shakahola Forest death toll crosses 65
During a search and rescue mission for followers of the church at the 800-acre Shakahola forest associated with Pastor Paul Mackenzie, police met a man who identified himself as Pastor Zablon wa Yesu.
Reports from police say that he was found reading the Bible. He was among five people rescued from the forest as police discovered 20 more bodies, pushing the death toll to 67.