Kenya cult members in court for attempted suicide

Paul Mackenzie denies encouraging people to fast until they die

Sixty-five members of a Kenyan doomsday cult, who were rescued from the Shakahola Forest, are appearing in court to face charges of attempted suicide.

In Kenya, attempted suicide is illegal. Likewise, aiding suicide, failing to take action to stop or not reporting the offence is also punishable by life imprisonment.

In April, the police began to exhume bodies from shallow graves in the remote forest.

So far, 318 people linked to the cult are known to have died and 613 are still missing.

Self-proclaimed pastor Paul Mackenzie from the Good News International Church is accused of encouraging people to fast to death, which he denies.

Sixteen cult members who are in police custody have been on a hunger strike since 4 June.

State prosecutors are now seeking to have the accused cult members separated, held in prisons and subjected to forced feeding.

Even though the state is seeking to have the accused members forcibly fed, the police stations where they are being held do not have the capacity in terms of space, food and medical facilities.

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