A chilling account of alleged abuse and cover-up has emerged in the trial of controversial preacher Paul Mackenzie. A 17-year-old boy testified that Mackenzie and his associates protected a man who raped his younger sister within the confines of the Good News International Church seven years ago.
The court heard how Mackenzie and fellow pastor George Mwaura intervened to prevent the mother from reporting the rape to the police. The accused was married to a female preacher within the church.
The prosecution alleges that Mackenzie, instead of addressing the heinous crime, chose to cover it up, denying the family justice. The young girl was subsequently married off at a tender age.
The witness described how the incident shattered his faith in Mackenzie and the church’s teachings. He recounted a brutal punishment inflicted on him for missing mandatory Bible study sessions, a core component of the church’s doctrine.
The court was also presented with evidence of the church’s extreme indoctrination, which included the rejection of education, medicine, and worldly affairs in favor of strict adherence to biblical teachings. Children were subjected to rigorous memorization of scriptures and were allegedly coached by one of the accused to lie in a previous court case involving Mackenzie.
The boy’s mother, a devout follower, met a tragic end in the Shakahola forest, where she perished after a prolonged fast. Her body remains missing.
The trial is ongoing, with more revelations expected to emerge as the prosecution continues to build its case against Mackenzie and his co-accused.