The case, which began on July 24, 2024, with the testimony of the first witness, saw the prosecution present a compelling case through 76 witnesses before Principal Magistrate Hon. Nelly Chepchirchir at the Tononoka Children's Court.
The Shakahola massacre, uncovered in 2023, revealed the grim aftermath of Mackenzie's apocalyptic cult, where 429 bodies were exhumed from Shakahola Forest.
Autopsies confirmed that 214 individuals died from starvation and 39 from asphyxia, a stark testament to the extreme fasting rituals Mackenzie imposed on his followers in a bid to "meet Jesus."
The trial's closure comes as a relief to survivors and families, who have awaited justice for over two years.
DPP closes first case in Shakahola massacre trial after calling 76 witnesses.
- Office of The Director Of Public Prosecutions (@ODPP_KE) September 19, 2025
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) today officially closed its case in the Shakahola massacre trial involving controversial preacher Paul Nthenge Mackenzie and 35 of his co-accused, marking the... pic.twitter.com/Ia9X6jAOqD
Leading the prosecution team, Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Jami Yamina, alongside Principal Prosecution Counsels Victor Owiti and Betty Rubia, and
Prosecution Counsels Biasha Khalifa and Eunice Odongo, built their case.
The final day of testimony featured three key witnesses: Mr. Dennis Muriithi, a Safaricom PLC data analyst; 21-year-old survivor Israel Veronica from Chakama, Malindi; and Inspector Phoebe Okomo from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations' Children Protection Unit in Mombasa.
Muriithi's testimony provided critical technological evidence, detailing how Safaricom complied with a court order to retrieve call data and M-Pesa registration details, including four numbers linked to Mackenzie.
This data helped trace the movements and activities of the accused before some numbers were recycled.
Veronica's account painted a picture of childhood stolen by ideology, her father withdrew her and her six siblings from school in 2019, deeming education sinful, before the family relocated to Shakahola after selling all their belongings.
Inspector Okomo's evidence recounted the rescue of 27 children aged between one-and-a-half to 17 years in Malindi.
She described how the children, many of whom escaped during intensified fasting periods, lived in estates named Judea, Samaria, and Jerusalem, gathering under a large tree for prayers and burials.
The children identified Mackenzie in a parade, alleging beatings, food deprivation, and educational neglect.
Meanwhile, Mackenzie and his co-accused face additional charges of murder, manslaughter, and terrorism in separate courts, including the Mombasa High Court and Shanzu Law Courts.