Key Shakahola Suspect Admits Role in Starvation Deaths, Confesses to Burying Two of His Own Children
A major development unfolded in the ongoing Shakahola massacre trial on February 25, 2026, as key suspect Enos Amanya Ngala, alias Haleluya, took the witness stand at the Shanzu Law Courts in Mombasa before Chief Magistrate Alex Ithuku.
Driven by guilt, fear for his safety, and mounting prosecutorial evidence, Haleluya confessed to his active participation in the enforced starvation deaths of followers under the direction of controversial preacher Paul Mackenzie. He described how Mackenzie, portrayed as a manipulative leader, used extreme doctrines promising "special seats in heaven" for those who starved to death, while denouncing prayer, worship, and even instructing followers to burn Bibles and scriptures—deviating sharply from mainstream Christian teachings. Haleluya admitted to digging graves and burying victims in shallow mass graves, using coded terms like “Jeti” for fasting to death and “Shujaa” for the deceased.
In a deeply emotional revelation, Haleluya disclosed that he lost all six of his children to the cult's deadly fasting regime. He personally buried two of them, only later learning of the deaths of the remaining four. He recounted uprooting his family, selling land in Nairobi, and relocating to the Shakahola forest under Mackenzie's influence, where followers lived in constant intimidation and fear of speaking out against the inner circle. The suspect explained that after his arrest, he confided in a senior General Service Unit officer, who advised formalizing his confession, leading him to write letters expressing his intent to admit responsibility.
The confession, presented through an Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) statement, marks a significant breakthrough in the trial, where Mackenzie and 94 co-accused face 283 counts related to manslaughter amid the broader Shakahola tragedy involving mass starvation deaths. Haleluya's testimony highlights the psychological control and cruelty within the group, reinforcing allegations against Mackenzie as the orchestrator who allegedly planned to be the last to die, symbolically "closing heaven’s door." The proceedings continue as authorities seek to deliver justice for the victims in this harrowing case.
