Police Watched as Mackenzie Abducted Children, Father Says in Emotional Shakahola Hearing
Published By admin
The heartbreaking testimony of 66-year-old Safari Katana Yaa reveals how police repeatedly failed families trying to rescue their loved ones from Paul Mackenzie’s deadly cult before the Shakahola tragedy claimed over 450 lives.
Katana’s nightmare began in 2017 when Mackenzie’s radical teachings infiltrated his family in Furunzi, Malindi. His eldest daughter, who ran a successful tailoring shop, fell under the controversial preacher’s influence. Mackenzie convinced the family that education was sinful, prompting Katana’s son to drop out of school while other relatives abandoned their normal lives to follow the doomsday cult leader.
When Katana discovered what was happening, he immediately sought help from Malindi Police Station. Officers accompanied him to Mackenzie’s church, where they found his children among the followers. Authorities arrested Mackenzie for radicalization, giving Katana brief hope that justice would prevail.
However, his relief vanished quickly. After authorities released Katana’s son with orders to return to school, Mackenzie’s followers abducted the boy right outside the courthouse.
“They grabbed my son, put him on a motorbike, and sped off,” Katana recalled during his emotional court testimony.
Police Indifference and Betrayal
When Katana reported the abduction, police refused to help, instructing him to only call them after he found the boy himself. Acting on earlier police advice to “do whatever it takes,” Katana managed to trace two of his children and confined them at home for their safety.
Read more https://nairobiwire.com/2025/11/police-failure-shakahola-cult.html
Content retrieved from: https://nairobiwire.com/2025/11/police-failure-shakahola-cult.html.
