Makenzi declines to appear before senators until case finalised

Paul Makenzi at Shanzu Law Courts on June 2, 2023. [Omondi Onyango, Standard]

Paul Makenzi, the controversial pastor linked to the death of over 420 people inside Shakahola forest, has declined to appear before the Senate committee investigating the case.

His lawyer, Wycliffe Makasembo, told Shanzu Principal Magistrate Yusuf Shikanda that Makenzi and the other suspects will not appear before the committee until their case is determined.

The lawyer confirmed that the Senate committee investigating the Shakahola deaths had invited them. The committee is chaired by Tana River Senator Danson Mungatana.

"Mungatana committee should know that we shall not appear before it until we finalise with the courts,” said Makasembo.

The suspects who were arrested in April this year have been in police custody pending investigations. Over 420 bodies suspected to be of followers of Makenzi's Good News Intentional Church have been exhumed from the forest.

On Thursday, the magistrate gave the suspects seven days to respond to an application by the Director of Public Prosecutions to have them detained for six more months, to allow detectives to complete the probe.

“Makenzi is to file a response to the state application within seven days and the probation officers are to finalise the probation reports within seven days and supply them to Makenzi and DPP,” said Shikanda.

In the application filed on September 18, Senior Assistant Prosecutor Jami Yamina said the police were yet to finalise their investigations and would require six more months,

“I wish to report that investigations remain incomplete despite 47 days granted by the State. We are seeking for extension of 180 days to wind up on investigations,” said Yamina.

The probation department also sought 30 more days to complete the social inquiry exercise to determine if they qualify for bail or not.

The suspects have been in detention for 137 days since May 3.

The controversial preacher has been linked to the Shakahola massacre where 429 bodies have been retrieved from shallow graves.