Kenyan court convicts cult leader in deaths of 191 followers

A court in Mombasa, Kenya, convicted cult leader Paul Mackenzie on October 19, 2026, of murdering 191 people. Twenty-eight of his associates were also found guilty. Mackenzie started a church called Good News International in 2003. He later told followers that the world was ending soon. He persuaded them to stop eating until they died. The group lived in Shakahola Forest, where authorities found more than 400 bodies. Most of the victims were children. The case is one of the deadliest cult disasters in Kenya's history. Critics have said that officials ignored early warnings about the group. Families of victims have waited years for justice. Mackenzie's sentencing was scheduled for November 6, 2026.