Controversial Kenyan pastor arrested after his church member starved to death and suffocated his two children to ‘please God’
Kenyan police have arrested a controversial televangelist in connection with the deaths of two children who were allegedly killed by their mothers in the village of Shakahola.
Pastor Paul Mackenzie of Good News International Church in Malindi, Kilifi was arrested on Wednesday evening March 22, 2023, after a court in Malindi ordered the exhumation of the minor’s bodies.
Their parents, Mr. Isaac Ngala and Emily Kaunga, are also on the list of suspects in the children’s deaths.
According to Kenya’s Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), the children were allegedly starved and then suffocated to death by their mothers with the intention of becoming “heroes before God after death”.
The mother is a congregant in Pastor Mackenzie’s church.
According to the investigating officer, Joseph Yator of the Malindi Criminal Investigation Directorate, the police managed to rescue a third child.
“The rescued child recounted the suffering his two siblings suffered after being starved for some time before their mother suffocated them to death,” the DPP said.
The three are believed to have buried the two miners on March 16 and 17, respectively, in a shallow grave in Shakahola village, County Kilifi.
“Government pathologist and DCI Malindi officers will oversee the exhumation exercise, and the sub-county police commander and area OCS will provide security. The exhumed bodies will be examined and samples of DNA and toxicology will be taken,” the DPP said.
Malindi Police Chief John Kemboi confirmed the pastor’s arrest and said more details of preliminary investigations into the incident would be released on Thursday morning.
The report will also detail how many other children may have succumbed to parental neglect after the pastor’s church was radicalized.
Mr. Francis Wanje claimed that two of his grandchildren died after their parents received teachings from the pastor, who forced the children to fast until they died.
Speaking to reporters during the pastor’s arrest operation, he said the prime suspect claimed that there were disasters that could be witnessed in the near future and therefore it was good for the children die so they can inherit the kingdom of paradise.
“Two of my grandchildren have already been buried, and the one who remained was already preparing him to die and rest. Their pastor told them that there are disasters coming soon and that they should not receive of food until they die. My grandchildren died in these strange circumstances and now we are happy that the detectives have arrested the pastor,” Mr Wanje said.
In 2017, Mr Mackenzie and his wife Joyce Mwikamba were accused of promoting radicalisation.
They were also accused of failing to provide a basic education for their three children.
See photos of his previous arrest below.
