Paul Mackenzie, a contentious pastor who is being held on suspicion of participating in a suspected starvation cult that resulted in the deaths of nearly 400 people in Shakahola, Kilifi County, has complained that his rights have been violated.
When Mackenzie appeared in the Shanzu Law Courts on Wednesday, he created a scene by shouting and sobbing that his and the rights of his 15 co-accused were being infringed while they were being held in detention.
He shouted “Haki yetu,” claiming that by denying him bail, the government intended to continue violating their rights and cruelly treating them.
“I haven’t eaten or taken a bath in two days since I’ve been confined to a dark room around-the-clock. I am being treated in this manner at the direction of the authorities, so I wonder who will save me?” posed Mackenzie.
The televangelist with the Good News International church alleges that he is being tortured in custody. He claimed to the court that he had been imprisoned in a pitch-black space and that his cries for permission to leave and enjoy the sunshine had been ignored.
Instead than putting him through the ordeal of being imprisoned, he demanded that the authorities kill him.
“You might as well kill us and toss our carcasses in the River Yala if you are sick of us and don’t want to treat us with basic dignity. We will all pass away at some point, after all. I am in pain, and I need this court’s assistance,” the pastor stated.
