Controversial preacher Paul Mackenzie and 94 co-accused persons charged with 238 counts of manslaughter in connection with the Shakahola tragedy have been placed on their defence after a court ruled that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against them.

In a ruling delivered on Thursday June 4, the Mombasa Magistrate’s Court found that the prosecution had presented sufficient evidence linking each of the accused persons to the charges and establishing the essential elements of the offence.

The accused persons had denied the 238 counts of manslaughter allegedly committed between January 2021 and February 2023 during proceedings arising from the deaths linked to the Shakahola cult tragedy.

The court noted that the prosecution, led by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, had called 94 witnesses whose testimonies formed the basis of the decision to place the accused persons on their defence.

Following the ruling, Mackenzie informed the court that he intends to call 20 witnesses to testify on his behalf. The defence hearing has been scheduled to run from July 17 to July 23, 2026.

The manslaughter case is one of several criminal proceedings facing Mackenzie and his co-accused. They are also battling terrorism-related charges before the Shanzu Law Courts, murder charges at the Mombasa High Court, and child-related offences before the Tononoka Law Courts.

The court has similarly ruled that the accused persons have a case to answer in the other matters, placing them on their defence as the various trials progress.

The Shakahola tragedy, one of Kenya’s deadliest cult-related incidents, continues to attract national attention as courts seek to determine the criminal responsibility of those accused in the deaths of hundreds of followers.