Pastor Mackenzie ‘transformed into snake in Shakahola, bit my husband’ – Witness to court

A protected witness on Thursday told the Shanzu Law Courts that she witnessed cult leader Paul Mackenzie transform into a snake before biting her husband while they were living in Shakahola under his teachings.

Testifying before Senior Principal Magistrate Hon. Mwanamkuu, the witness, identified only as LA, said the alleged incident occurred at around 7 p.m. after Mackenzie visited their homestead.

She told the court that Mackenzie’s head first transformed into a snake before the rest of his body followed.

According to the witness, the snake then bit her husband, identified as J.O.

The testimony came as LA recounted the teachings and events that she said led her family to relocate to Shakahola, where six of her children later died.

The witness also told the court that a phone call from Mackenzie while he was in prison convinced her family to return to the settlement after they had left.

According to LA, Mackenzie called her husband and urged him to return to the wilderness, commonly referred to as “jangwani”, to fast to death in anticipation of meeting Jesus.

She said Mackenzie later asked to speak to her during the same call and told her that he “had the souls of everyone who was initially in Shakahola” and that her late wife was waiting for them in heaven.

LA testified that after speaking with him for about 20 minutes, she agreed to return because she believed his teachings would lead them to salvation.

She corroborated the earlier testimony of her husband, J.O., telling the court that the extremist teachings allegedly propagated by Mackenzie and his co-accused ultimately led to the deaths of their six children.

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The witness said she was initially a member of Voice of Salvation Church before joining Good  News International Ministries, where she embraced Mackenzie’s teachings and later relocated to Shakahola. 

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She testified that followers were taught that formal education and employment were sinful.

“When you study and get a job, that work is a sin,” she told the court.

LA further testified that followers were discouraged from seeking medical treatment because they were taught that Jesus alone heals and that hospitals symbolised evil because of the serpent emblem associated with medical care.

She also told the court that followers were taught that the Huduma Namba was “the mark of the beast” and that anyone possessing a national identity card belonged to the devil.

According to her testimony, believers were instructed to burn their identity cards. While she did not destroy her own because she believed she had already received “the mark of the beast”, she said she burnt her children’s birth certificates in obedience to the teachings.

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions said the testimony formed part of the prosecution’s case against Mackenzie and his co-accused over the Shakahola deaths.

Prosecutors allege the accused used extremist religious teachings to persuade followers to isolate themselves, reject education, medical care and government services, and fast to death in anticipation of meeting Jesus.

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