MOMBASA, Kenya, Dec 1 – Cult leader Paul Mackenzie was on Friday jailed for one year by a Malindi Magistrate Court for the offence of operating a filming studio without valid license.
The court further jailed Mackenzie for another six months for being in possession and exhibition of films to the public through Times TV without an operating license.
However, the two sentences will run concurrently.
Mackenzie is currently being held at Shimo la Tewa Prison for other offences, including death of over 429 people at Shakahola
In 2019, Mackenzie was charged with being in possession and distributing films to the public which had not been examined and classified by the Kenya Film Classification Board.
Last month, Malindi Senior Resident Magistrate Olga Onalo found Mackenzie guilty of the offences.
“In respect to count two, I hereby sentence the accused person to twelve months imprisonment, while in respect to count three, I sentence the accused to six months imprisonment,” said Onalo.
She said the sentences shall run concurrently and the accused person has a right of appeal in 14 days.
The Probation Office had recommended that Mackenzie be denied an alternative of a fine due to his past criminal record.
The probation report said Mackenzie was convicted and fined for similar offence in criminal case no. 182 of 2017.
The offences faced by Mackenzie attract a jail term not exceeding one year and an alternative fine not exceeding Sh100,000.
KFCB said that it came to know about the activities of Mackenzie in 2019 after being alerted by Kilifi County Commissioner and other security organs following an outcry from the public.
A sample of confiscated media forwarded to it by the DCI was noted to have prevalent themes ranging from propaganda, mis-presentation of facts, vulgar language, obscenity and portrayal of certain religious and societal practices in derogatory manner.
In the case, Mackenzie was representedby James Mouko who had objected the sentencing, saying that his client deserved a non-custodial sentence.
