Controversial preacher Paul Mackenzie and 94 co-accused persons have been placed on their defence in the Shakahola manslaughter case after a Mombasa court ruled that the prosecution had established a case requiring them to respond to the charges.

In a ruling delivered on Thursday, June 4, 2026, the Mombasa Magistrate’s Court found that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had presented sufficient evidence linking the accused persons to the 238 counts of manslaughter arising from the Shakahola tragedy.

The court held that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against all the accused, paving the way for the defence phase of the trial.

Mackenzie and his co-accused had denied the charges, which relate to the deaths of victims allegedly committed between January 2021 and February 2023.

According to the DPP, the prosecution relied on testimony from 94 witnesses during the trial, evidence that the court found sufficient to require the accused persons to answer the allegations.

Following the ruling, Mackenzie informed the court that he intends to call 20 witnesses in his defence. The defence hearing is scheduled to run from July 17 to July 23, 2026.

The development marks a significant milestone in the prosecution of the Shakahola case, one of Kenya’s deadliest cult-related tragedies.

Besides the manslaughter proceedings, Mackenzie and several of his co-accused are facing other cases in different courts, including terrorism-related charges before the Shanzu Law Courts, murder charges at the Mombasa High Court and child-related offences at the Tononoka Law Courts.

The DPP said the accused persons have now been placed on their defence in all the cases.

The prosecution team is led by Deputy Directors of Public Prosecutions Joseph Kimanthi and Jami Yamina, alongside Principal Prosecution Counsels Victor Owiti, Betty Rubia and Alex Ndiema, and Prosecution Counsel Yassir Mohammed.