Suspected religious cult leader Pastor Paul Mackenzie and 17 others are to remain in custody as State continues to build a case against them, a Shanzu court has ruled.
In its Wednesday ruling, the court ordered that the suspects be detained for a period not exceeding thirty days from May 3. This means they will be in custody for 23 more days.
The Director of Public Prosecution had requested for Mackenzie to be detained for a period of 90 days to allow for investigations.
Mackenzie as well as 17 others will be held at Malindi, Marereni, Watamu, Mtwapa and Bamburi police stations as recommended by the government.
Mackenzie and his co-accused are facing charges under the Terrorism Act for suspected cultic activities that has led to the exhumation of over 100 bodies in Shakahola.
They are facing serious crimes of murder, counselling and aiding persons to kill themselves, aiding suicide, abduction, radicalization, genocide, crimes against humanity, child cruelty, fraud and money laundering, and complaints of mistreatment in the hands of police.
However, they are yet to be charged officially.
The suspect, who is being held in connection with the deaths of more than 100 persons that allegedly starved to death in Shakahola forest, has been behind bars since his arrest last month.
The Office of the Director of Criminal Investigation (ODPP) had filed an application last week before Shanzu senior principal magistrate Yusuf Shikanda to continue holding Mackenzie and 17 others for 90 days.
According to the senior principal prosecution counsel Jami Yamina, the 14-day period that they had initially been granted by a Malindi court to hold Mackenzie and his co-accused, proved to be grossly insufficient because of the evolving nature of the case and the lines of inquiry that are being pursued.
He told the court that they need more time to conclude their investigation around Mackenzie and his members of the Good News International Church.
They are facing serious crimes of murder, counselling and aiding persons to kill themselves, aiding suicide, abduction, radicalisation, genocide, crimes against humanity, child cruelty, fraud and money laundering.
