The State on Tuesday applied to be allowed to continue, cult leader Paul Mackenzie and 28 other co-accused persons for another 47 days.
Mackenzie, his wife Rhoda Maweu and the other accused persons have already spent more than 90 days in police and prison custody as investigations into the killing of over 425 people exhumed from Shakhaola intensify.
The State plans to charge them with at least 12 offences that include; murder, counselling and aiding suicide, abduction, radicalization, genocide, crimes against humanity and child cruelty among others.
Mackenzie and the co-accused are yet to be officially charged, despite appearing before the Shanzu Court several times since May 2 this year.
On Tuesday, after the expiry of the detention orders given by the court on July 3, the State sought further more days to hold Mackenzie and his team in order to allow police to continue their probe.
“The period of investigation, so far prayed and granted, has nevertheless unravelled evidence sufficient enough to establish high chances that all the suspects in detention will more likely than not eventually be denied bail pending trial arising from the existence of compelling grounds,” said assistant DPP Jami Yamina.
During the court session, Mackenzie and his team momentarily tried to protest against State, saying they are being harassed and mistreated in the prison custody.
Their chants of ‘Haki Yetu’ took the court by surprise, but their lawyer Wycliff Makasembo pleaded with them to stop and allow the court session to continue uninterrupted.
“My clients are showing their frustrations. They have shared with me that they are being forced to put on prison uniforms, and they are yet to be convicted. They also complained of being forced to sign blank witness statements” said Makasembo.
Shanzu Senior Principal Magistrate Yusuf Shikanda directed the case to be brought back Friday for further directions and a ruling on whether the State will be granted the 47 days.
At the same time, another magistrate court sitting at Shanzu directed the State to amend the charge sheet of the 41 victims of Shakahola, who are now being held as suspects.
On Monday, the State made an application that the 41, who were part of the 65 victims being held at Sahajanad Rescue Centre, will be charged with murder, manslaughter and other terror-related charges.
The 41 (28 women and 13 men) are believed to have been involved in the mysterious deaths of children at Shakahola.
