Paul Mackenzie: Shakahola cult leader continued doomsday teachings even behind bars!

Convicted preacher Paul MacKenzie continued speaking his doomsday gospel even while behind bars, a court has been told.

The Mombasa High Court heard that the controversial preacher, who was found guilty over various counts of murder last week, has been using mobile phones and SIM cards registered in other people’s names to continue his teachings while in prison.

Prosecutors told the court that Mackenzie used mobile numbers registered to fellow convicts to talk to his co-accused, allegedly instructing them to maintain the doomsday teachings and encourage followers in Kwa Binzaro, Kilifi county, to fast, resulting in deaths.

The allegations came to the fore on Tuesday during the trial of Mackenzie and seven co-accused persons over the deaths of 28 people whose remains were exhumed from shallow graves in Kwa Binzaro.

The court was told that one of the SIM cards linked to the case was registered in the name of an inmate serving a 50-year sentence at Shimo La Tewa Maximum Security Prison in Mombasa.

The said prisoner admitted retaining SIM cards in custody but denied using them to make calls or conduct mobile money transactions.

According to the inmate, he had registered five mobile numbers in his name in an effort to boost his credit portfolio and access mobile loans.

He told the court that prison officers searched his cell on September 20, 2025, and recovered two Bibles containing handwritten papers bearing names and telephone contacts before he was informed that one of the SIM cards had been used to transfer money to MacKenzie, who is currently held at the prison.

Following a further search the next day, two SIM cards were recovered from the prisoner, who said he had retained them since his arrest in March 2024, but denied using them, saying he had occasionally lent one to a fellow inmate who borrowed money from him to make calls.

His testimony painted a picture of how unauthorised phones circulated among inmates despite prison regulations barring possession of handsets and SIM cards.

Prison officers told the court that a number of searches were conducted following information that inmates, among them the Shakahola massacre suspects, were in possession of communication devices and other prohibited items.

The searches resulted in the recovery of mobile phones, SIM cards, plastic containers, boxes, nails and ropes from different cells.

The court also heard that on September 20, 2025, a prison officer and Directorate of Criminal Investigations officers searched Mackenzie's cell and recovered a notebook, handwritten notes and a Bible.

The notebook reportedly contained telephone numbers and identification details recorded under the name of a prosecution witness who testified virtually from Kisumu, pointing to the fact that Mackenzie continued preaching his controversial gospel and influencing followers even while in custody.

Mackenzie was on October 19 convicted alongside 28 co-accused persons in connection with the Shakahola massacre, in which 191 people, including 190 children, died.