Court Issues Verdict On Pastor Paul Mackenzie Case

The High Court has found controversial Pastor Paul Mackenzie guilty of being in possession of and distributing films without a valid filming license.

The office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP) in a statement on Friday, November 10 said the ruling was made after prosecutor Joseph Mwangi proved the case.

"One Paul Mckenzie has today been found guilty of being in possession and distributing films which have not been classified and operating a filming studio without a valid filming license. Prosecution's Joseph Mwangi proved the case,” read the statement in part.

The court at the same time ordered a pre-sentence report to be filed by the Probation and Aftercare Services.

"The court also ordered that a pre-sentence report be filed by the Probation and Aftercare Services to capture the sentiments of the complainant, which is the Prosecution,” ODPP added.

The case will be mentioned on December 1, 2023, after the pre-sentence report has been tabled in court.

Mackenzie was arrested on April 15 over the Shakahola massacre and has been in police custody ever since.

The ODPP in October requested Mackenzie and his co-accused to be detained for 180 more days to conclude investigations on the deaths of over 429 people whose bodies have been exhumed from Shakahola forest.

Mackenzie through his lawyer Wycliffe Makasembo requested more time from the court to prepare his defence against the prosecution’s application.

The controversial pastor is also facing charges of terrorism, murder, counseling and aiding suicide, abduction, radicalization, genocide, crimes against humanity, child cruelty, fraud, and money laundering.