The father of one of the accused in the Shakahola massacre case involving Paul Mackenzie and 92 others has narrated how his son became involved in the religious movement.
In proceedings at the Shanzu Law Courts before Principal Magistrate Leah Juma, the father said his son was introduced to Good News International Church through a referral from one of his former schoolmates in high school.
Good News International Church is associated with Mackenzie.
He further told the court that when the son joined the church, he was undertaking a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering at a local university.
He said his son abandoned his education and retreated to the forest in Shakahola.
The witness further told the court that when he questioned his son on why he no longer took education seriously, he said that the world was coming to an end and there was no need to continue with education, which was an earthly and evil affair.
He revealed that since his disappearance, he could not trace his whereabouts until he received calls from him, but whenever he tried to reach him, he was unavailable.
It was not until he was told of his admission to a hospital in Malindi that he managed to meet him in person. He noted that when he met him, he was dehydrated, weak, and could not even talk.
He told the court that he could not imagine that his son, who was once a rugby player, had deteriorated to a state that he could not believe.
He added that his son told him that the church he joined condemned education and that all the academic documents of the church followers were burnt and destroyed in support of Mackenzie’s teachings that education was evil, adding that in heaven there is no education.
The matter is prosecuted by Peter Kiprop, Jami Yamina, J. V. Owiti, Betty Rubia, Anthony Musyoka and Peris Ogega.
Mackenzie and others were charged with the murder of 191 children, whose bodies were discovered buried in Shakahola.
