A Kenyan court has sentenced cult leader Paul Mackenzie to 200 years in prison for the murders of 190 children and one adult. The sentence, delivered in the coastal city of Mombasa, comprises 100 years for murder by starvation and 100 years for direct homicide. Mackenzie and his accomplices were convicted in what is considered one of the worst cult disasters in recent history.
The self-proclaimed preacher led an apocalyptic doomsday sect, ordering his followers to starve themselves to death in order to meet Jesus. Mackenzie specifically told parents to ensure their children fasted in the sun and died first. The victims were later buried in a forest.
While the convictions cover 191 people, there are 500 suspected victims in one of the deadliest ceremonial massacres of modern times. Following the sentencing, relatives of the victims, such as Stephen Mwiti, have expressed worry that Mackenzie may continue to spread his deadly messages.