A Mombasa court has ordered the remand of controversial preacher Paul Makenzie and his co-suspects, who are linked to the Shakahola starvation cult that killed over 400 people.
The accused appeared before the Shanzu law courts on Thursday, and the court ordered that they be detained for another 7 days and return to court on October 19 for further instructions on the case.
The court will then decide whether the 27 accused will be detained for six months while investigations into the deadly cult continue.
Lawywer Wycliffe Makasembo, acting on behalf of the suspects, opposed detention, claiming that the accused’s continued detention violates their rights as suspects.
Meanwhile, the prosecution, through Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Jami, told the court that the request for additional detention is justified based on the gravity of the case.
The suspects face a variety of charges, including terrorism, murder, suicide counseling, and aiding suicide, as well as abduction, radicalization, genocide, crimes against humanity, child cruelty, fraud, and money laundering.
