Makenzi allegedly ate in secret while his followers starved in custody

Controversial pastor Paul Makenzi (right) at the Shanzu Law Courts in Mombasa, on October 29, 2025. [Kelvin Karani, Standard] Controversial preacher Paul Makenzi allegedly ate in secret while in custody as he encouraged his followers to starve in the name of fasting. Former Malindi OCS Abdi Noor testified in court on Thursday that Makenzi never wanted to receive food in public while other remandees were eating, but would later have a meal in secret. However, when pressed by Makenzi's lawyer, Lawrence Obonyo, to confirm whether he personally saw the preacher eating in secret, the former OCS said he had been informed by his sources that Makenzi was eating privately. The officer was recounting the events that transpired at Malindi Police Station, where Makenzi and several of his followers had been remanded following their arrest. He testified before Principal Magistrate Leah Juma at the Shanzu Law Courts during a hearing in which Makenzi and his followers are facing terror-related charges. The senior officer told the court that he had been forced to seclude Makenzi from his followers because the preacher would communicate through one of the detainees, who would then relay messages to others, leading them to fast. He attempted to show that their refusal to eat was due to fasting but failed to indicate in his statement that they were indeed fasting, as he alleged. "Makenzi and some of his followers were detained at Malindi Police Station between June 6 and June 14, 2023. During this period, 15 of the suspects reportedly refused to eat for several days. However, my informers told me that Makenzi was eating when people were not watching him," the former OCS testified. He added that the suspects became extremely weak during the hunger strike and declined medical assistance when taken to the hospital, insisting that their fasting was spiritual. The officer also produced several communication signals sent to senior police commanders, reporting the mass refusal of food by the detained Shakahola cult followers. His testimony was similar to that of former Watamu OCS Thompson Katana, who told the Shanzu Law Courts that out of the eight detainees he had, only one woman was eating. The former Watamu OCS further told the court that Makenzi's followers claimed they were fasting to pray for a breakthrough in their cases. "I doubt they will have a breakthrough in the cases as they claim," the former OCS remarked.

Makenzi allegedly ate in secret while his followers starved in custody

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Makenzi allegedly ate in secret while his followers starved in custody

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