Who is Malindi Cult Leader Paul Mackenzie and Why was he arrested?

Paul Nthenge Mackenzie was the pastor of the Good News International Church in Kenya, a “Message” church founded on William Branham’s teachings.

Using William Branham’s End of Days theology, Mackenzie “brainwashed” his converts convincing them that starvation would hasten their escape from this life to be with Jesus.

Paul Mackenzie was arrested on April 15, 2023, after Kenyan police discovered four bodies that had been starved to death by Mackenzie. He has denied wrongdoing and insisted on closing his church in 2019, but he is awaiting an appearance in court and has been denied bail.

According to Kenyan homicide detectives, the cult began forming mass graves for victims who starved themselves to death on Mackenzie’s orders.

On April 19, 2023, detectives discovered one person buried alive in a grave, and an informant informed them that there were additional graves containing up to 31 bodies.

Police discovered 15 malnourished parishioners on church grounds, four of whom died after being taken to the hospital. In Kilifi County,  twelve shallow graves were discovered, and the investigation continued to uncover several more. Up to 100 people may have died.