I’m Mercy Wanjiru, and I am investigating murders that shocked the nation. Today, I want to know what motivates killers and how they think they can get away with it. Some crimes in particular provoke debate about how to ensure the correct punishment is given when the perpetrator is sentenced and how you can be 100% certain of a person’s guilt. The case of Good News International Church in Shakahola Malindi and the fellowship who were murdered has proven intriguing for criminologists, historians, and authors leading DCI in Kenya.
Even though Kenyan churches are subject to strict religious laws, we have heard of tragic cases similar to these before. The Good News International Church has previously been the subject of media coverage. The same preacher, Mackenzie, had previously been imprisoned by the police; however, he was eventually released on a 10,000 shilling bond. He continued to preach, gaining thousands withdrawn to his gospel while keeping his cult a secret. In the belief that doing so would bring them salvation, he made false prophecies that led to the demise of his followers by starving them to death.
The evidence against Pastor Mackenzie is overwhelming. There were many bodies exhumed, both adults and children. Decapitations are rare and usually performed to hide the victim’s identity, but in Shakahola’s massacre, it appeared that wasn’t the motive. There was no attempt to hide or prevent identification. Usually, when you try to prevent an identification from being made, you take other body parts, such as the hands or the head; this seems more ritualistic than other ways they were killed. It is unknown what fate they suffered before they died.
Mackenzie, the charismatic pastor, arose in Malindi; he drove the weak, the poor, and the powerless to his side. He promised them a better life, but they had to follow his commands to earn it. His church soon sprouted across the northern coast region, and those who questioned his doctrine started turning up dead. It is believed that the widowed pastor also buried his wife at the front of his church. Now investigators are beginning to understand what has been going on within the Good News Church. Following the recent arrest of pastor Ezekiel, who was also linked to the Mackenzie network of temples, more people have come out to tell their horror stories. People with no job and no shelter had found a place to belong, and some children came far from the upcountry of Kenya. Despite these churches being under the spotlight for demonic activity, the general public was still unclear about their true motives. But inside the church, people were turning dead; followers were afraid to say anything and afraid to face the same fate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGyTVrjh1W8