Controversial pastor Paul Nthenge Mackenzie, along with seven others, were arraigned before a Mombasa Court to face multiple counts of murder charges over the Kwa Binzaro massacre in Kilifi County.
The accused, including Mackenzie alias Mtumishi, Shallyne Anindo Temba alias Ann, Kahindi Kazungu Garama alias Mlewa, Tom Ochieng Mkonwe alias Thomas alias Tomaso, Julius Tuva Luwali, Johnson Gona Richard, Charles Mutua Musee alias Mzee Mutua, and James Kazungu Kahindi alias Ponda alias Baba Bura. Will also answer to crime against humanity charges.
Mackenzie together with five others faced 23 counts of murder as a crime against humanity contrary to Section 6 (1) (b), as read with Sections 6 (3) (a) and 7 (1) (d) of the International Crimes Act, No. 16 of 2008, and Articles 7 (1) (a) and 25 (3) (a) and (b) of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
The six are accused of carrying out an unlawful attack that resulted in the deaths of 23 members and followers of the Good News International Church, aged between six months and 18 years.
Court documents indicate that the offences were committed pursuant to and in furtherance of an organisational policy of the Good News International Church, with knowledge that the actions would cause deaths.
Justice Wendy Kagendo was informed that the genders of the 23 victims could not be ascertained at the time and were therefore assigned identifiers.
The alleged offences occurred on unknown dates between January and July 2025 at the Kwa Binzaro area in Chakama Location, Magarini Sub-County, Kilifi County.
In the alternative, the six faced 23 counts of murder contrary to Section 203 as read with Section 204 of the Penal Code, Cap 63, for jointly murdering the victims at the same location.
Separately, Charles Mutua Musee, alias Mzee Mutua, was charged with one count of being an accessory after the fact to murder contrary to Section 396 (1) as read with Section 222 of the Penal Code.
He is accused of receiving Julius Tuva Luwali at his home in Kanyaa Village, Mwingi Sub-County, on an unknown date between January and July 2025, to assist him evade punishment despite knowing he had committed murder.
James Kazungu Kahindi, alias Ponda alias Baba Bura faced a similar count for allegedly aiding Shallyne Anindo Temba alias Ann, Kahindi Kazungu Garama alias Mlewa, and Tom Ochieng Mkonwe alias Thomas alias Tomaso to evade punishment.
The offence was allegedly committed between July 19 and 21, 2025, in the Mtopanga area of Bamburi, Mombasa County.
All eight accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Justice Kagendo directed that Mackenzie be remanded at Shimo la Tewa Prison, while the seven co-accused be held at Malindi GK Prison for two weeks pending arrangements for their transfer to Shimo la Tewa.
The prosecution disclosed that it intends to call 128 witnesses and present dozens of exhibits in support of the case.
The court ordered the prosecution to make a full disclosure of the evidence to the defence within two weeks.
The matter was scheduled for mention on March 18, 2026.
The prosecution team comprises Deputy Directors of Public Prosecutions Jami Yamina and Joseph Kimanthi, Assistant DPP Ngina Mutua, and Principal Prosecution Counsels Victor Owiti and Betty Rubia.
The Kwa Binzaro incident forms part of investigations into deaths linked to the Good News International Church, following the earlier discovery of bodies in the Shakahola Forest area that drew national and international attention.
