NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 18-The Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Renson Ingoga has disclosed that the prosecution team handling the Shakahola massacre case involving televangelist Paul Mackenzie and 18 co-accused will review the investigation files beginning next week.
Mackenzie and his co-accused are linked with the Shakahola cult that led to over 400 deaths with the State seeking to establish the extent of his activities which included secret mass grave burials of starved followers.
Ingonga said Wednesday that the process will commence on October 23 and run upto October 28
He says the review will be looking to determine whether or not the facts presented against Mackenzie and other suspects “disclose any criminal culpability taking into account the relevant laws and Decision to Charge Guidelines, 2019.”
“The ODPP is currently awaiting the results of the DNA analysis undertaken by the Government Chemist Department and the reports to be availed between two to three months,” Ingonga said.
Touching on the concerns over delay in the Mackenzie case, the DPP said that continued detention of the suspects is necessitated by the fact that, DNA analysis is yet to be completed.
Further, Ingonga stated that the process is lengthy considering the number of bodies to be analyzed against the number of DNA samples from relatives of the deceased.
He reaffirmed ODPP’s commitment to promoting human rights and calls on all individuals and organizations to work together to create a peaceful and equitable society for all.
On July 10, the ODPP noted that Prosecutions Team held a consultative meeting at the ODPP Mombasa Office with stakeholders in the criminal justice system on the status of the investigations into the Shakahola Massacre and particularly the status of survivors thereof.
According to the DPP, the meeting included officers from the National Police Service (NPS), the Prisons Department, and representatives from the Mombasa and Kilifi County Directorate of Health Services.
The team agreed to fast-track the investigations and those found culpable charged.
On July 19, a team from the ODPP appeared before the Senate ad hoc Committee investigating the proliferation of religious organizations and the circumstances leading to the deaths of the more than 95 people in Shakahola, Kilifi County.
Pursuant to the ODPP’s request, on August 10, the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) undertook counselling and psychosocial support a result of which the Centre filed a report on its intervention.
Further, the State Department for Correctional Services has assisted in facilitating the probation and aftercare services to prepare the Social Inquiry Reports for each of the respondents.
The matter is scheduled for mention on 19th October 2023 in respect of Mackenzie and his 18 co-suspects, and on 23rd October 2023 in respect of the 65 survivors.
After the mentions, the court is expected to issue further directions on the hearing of ODPP’s application which seeks for a further detention of the suspects for a period of 180 days.
