Kenyan Cult Leader Sentenced to 200 Years

Breaking news from Mombasa, Kenya, where cult leader Paul Mackenzie has been sentenced to 200 years in prison following his conviction for the murders of 190 children and one adult. The High Court ruled that Mackenzie, founder of the Good News International Church, ordered his followers to relocate to the remote Shakahola Forest and commanded them to starve themselves to death in a bid to "meet Jesus." Justice Diana Kavedza stated in her sentencing that Mackenzie bore primary criminal culpability for the deaths. Twenty-eight accomplices, including parents who forced their children to fast, have also been convicted with sentences ranging from 10 to 160 years. The sentencing follows a large-scale investigation begun after authorities exhumed over 400 bodies linked to the cult. Mackenzie is also facing additional charges, including terrorism, child abuse, and torture in other ongoing court cases. The prosecution had argued for the death penalty for Mackenzie and life sentences for his leading followers.