Police arrest man believed to be Pastor Mackenzie's aide
Police in Malindi are holding a man suspected to be a co-mastermind, and one of the top leaders of the cult led by Pastor Paul Mackenzie.
The man who identified himself as Pastor Zablon wa Yesu was found reading a Bible on Monday.
Zablon said he was not fasting because he needed the energy to perform "god's work.”
According to intel The Standard gathered, Zablon was one of the people who aided the burial of the victims.
Police are still investigating his involvement with the mass killings.
On Monday, April 24, authorities exhumed twenty-six (26) bodies, raising the death toll to 73 in the Shakahola forest massacre linked to controversial Pastor Paul Mackenzie.
Seven of the bodies were in one grave.
More people are still isolated in the Shakahola forest.
Police have also confirmed the death of the air hostess who left her job, sold land, and joined Mackenzie.
"We found a body resembling the air hostess yesterday though we are yet to do a postmortem," police said.
As gorier details of the faithful who starved to death emerged, President William Ruto termed Mackenzie’s teachings an act of terrorism and said he belongs to jail.
Here are some 10 little-known facts about Shakahola's pastor Mackenzie
Mackenzie was first taken to Malindi by his sister.
He was a taxi driver before he became a pastor.
His church, Good News International, purports to be followers of the End Time Message of William Branham, who was believed to stage miracles.
Mackenzie was charged four times between 1997 and 2003 for his sermons but was acquitted each time due to lack of evidence.
In 2017, about 93 children were rescued from his church.
In October 2018, residents in Magarini, Kilifi County demolished one of his churches.
In 2019, Mackenzie was arrested for inciting the public against registration for Huduma number by likening it to the Number of the Beast.
His fishy activities were first flagged by Mayungu Children Rescue Centre in 2017.
He moved his 'church' to Shakahola in 2022.
He is married to one wife, Joyce Mwikamba.
Pastor Zablon wa Yesu arrested as Shakahola Forest death toll crosses 65
During a search and rescue mission for followers of the church at the 800-acre Shakahola forest associated with Pastor Paul Mackenzie, police met a man who identified himself as Pastor Zablon wa Yesu.
Reports from police say that he was found reading the Bible. He was among five people rescued from the forest as police discovered 20 more bodies, pushing the death toll to 67.
