Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kithure Kindiki has officially declared the Good News International Ministries, led by controversial preacher Paul Mackenzie, as an organized criminal group.
The declaration, announced in a statement on Wednesday, is based on Section 22(1) of the Prevention of Organized Crimes Act.
According to the cited provision, “Where the Minister has reasonable grounds to believe that a specified group is engaged in any organized criminal activity under section 3 of this Act, he may, on the advice of the Commissioner of Police, by notice, declare that specified group an organized criminal group for the purposes of this Act.”
Subsection (2) further allows any person aggrieved by the Minister’s decision to apply to the High Court for redress within twenty-one days from the date of publishing the order.
The Good News International Ministries, situated in Shakahola, Kilifi County, has been implicated in a suspected cult associated with the deaths of over 400 individuals between January 2021 and September 2023.
In ongoing court proceedings involving Pastor Mackenize and 94 other accused persons, it has been revealed that the decay of 360 bodies has impeded the analysis of DNA material from 429 bodies. This complication has made the autopsy process challenging, costly, laborious, and time-consuming.
The accused face a total of 238 charges, including terrorism and radicalization, all of which they vehemently deny. Despite their denial, Mackenzie and his co-accused, who have been in remand for several months, will continue to be held in custody. The prosecution has successfully applied for their continued detention pending the conclusion of investigations.
In late December, the Shanzu court granted the prosecution’s request for a 180-day extension of the suspects’ detention, emphasizing the severity and complexity of the case.
