Shakahola massacre: Digital forensics, DNA, witnesses deepen case against Mackenzie

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) lined up four more witnesses on Tuesday, September 16, to reveal harrowing details of alleged abuses carried out by controversial preacher Paul Nthenge Mackenzie and 35 co-accused individuals.

According to the prosecution, Mackenzie and the other suspects are facing grave charges including child cruelty, torture, and denial of education, in connection with the Shakahola massacre.

Appearing before Principal Magistrate Nelly Chepchirchir at the Tononoka Children’s Court, one of the witnesses, Maxwell Kisienya, Director of Bridge International Academy in Lungalunga, recounted the disappearance of a student, identified as S.B.B., who was last seen at the school in October 2017.

According to Kisienya, the child had attended the school for two years but failed to return after being sent home due to unpaid school fees. No transfer request was ever submitted, and the child's whereabouts have remained unknown. 

The prosecution also provided digital evidence from Police Constable Joseph Mwai, a Digital Forensics Expert attached to the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit, which showed photos of several malnourished individuals at the Shakahola forest. 

Further, Government Pathologist Dr. Richard Njoroge, who conducted post-mortem examinations on bodies recovered from mass graves in Shakahola, told the court that due to advanced decomposition, most of the bodies had deteriorated into skeletal remains, making it difficult to determine the cause of death in many cases. 

However, in several instances, he confirmed that starvation appeared to be the likely cause, noting extreme loss of body mass relative to height.

Dr. Njoroge also testified that teeth, bones, and nail samples were collected from the 453 exhumed bodies, and DNA tests have helped relatives to identify some of the victims. 

Chief Inspector Job Wafula Wanyonyi, who was among the first responders to Shakahola, also described the harrowing conditions he encountered during a fact-finding mission on April 13, 2023.

The inspector also revealed that dozens of people were found confined in makeshift shelters, many too weak to stand or speak. 

Among those rescued was a minor, identified as C.A.A., who reported being forced to fast until near death. Despite rescue efforts, four individuals, two men and two women, died during the operation.

In his testimony, he added that several individuals were guarding the confined areas, armed with crude weapons such as rungus (clubs) and jembes (hoes).

The hearing continues on Wednesday, September 17, with more witnesses expected to take the stand.