A key suspect in the Shakahola massacre trial has confessed to his role in one of Kenya’s most disturbing cult-linked tragedies, citing guilt, fear, and mounting evidence as reasons for coming forward.
Court Testimony
Enos Amanya Ngala, alias Haleluya, made the admission on Wednesday before Chief Magistrate Alex Ithuku at the Shanzu Law Courts in Mombasa, according to a statement from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).
Haleluya told the court that his conscience, fear for his safety, and overwhelming evidence compelled him to confess. He described living under constant intimidation inside the Shakahola forest, where followers were too afraid to challenge controversial preacher Paul Mackenzie and his inner circle.
Manipulative Doctrine
According to the ODPP, Haleluya recounted Mackenzie’s manipulative teachings:
- Followers were instructed to burn the Bible and other scriptures, rejecting prayer and worship.
- Members were promised “special seats in heaven” if they starved themselves to death.
- Mackenzie allegedly claimed he would be the last to die, symbolically “closing heaven’s door.”
Coded language was used to conceal deaths, with “Jeti” referring to fasting to death and “Shujaa” describing those who had already perished.
Personal Loss and Involvement
In an emotional account, Haleluya admitted to digging graves and burying victims, including two of his own six children. He later learned that the remaining four had also died under the extremist doctrine.
“He acknowledged that he and fellow accused persons orchestrated deaths through enforced starvation and other cruel acts under Mackenzie’s direction,” the ODPP noted.
Legal Proceedings
Haleluya revealed that after his arrest, he disclosed his involvement to a senior officer from the General Service Unit, who advised him to formally record his confession before a judicial officer. He later wrote letters expressing his intention to admit responsibility, prompting the court to notify both the prosecution and his defence lawyers.
In the case, Paul Mackenzie and 94 others are facing 283 counts of manslaughter linked to the Shakahola tragedy.
