Controversial preacher Paul Nthenge Mackenzie continued presenting witnesses in his defence hearing at the Shanzu Law Courts in the terrorism-related case linked to the Shakahola massacre.

Among those who testified was 24-year-old Faith Opiyo, who is also an accused person in the case. Faith told the court that she dropped out of Class Seven while attending a boarding school in Busia County in order to dedicate her life to serving God.

She testified that her decision was influenced by a dream in which she saw herself lying among dead bodies. According to Faith, the dream appeared to come true after a fire broke out at her school, injuring learners and destroying property worth hundreds of thousands of shillings.

“When the incident happened, I lost all my properties in school, but since God saved my life, I decided to leave school and serve the Almighty God, as I believed that my dream had come true,” she told the court.

She further testified that her parents opposed her decision to leave school. According to her testimony, she later travelled to Nairobi before heading to Shakakhola, where she was arrested.

Faith confirmed to the court that she was a “Mteule” but said she could not identify which of the accused persons were members of the group.

Another accused person, Anne Anyoso Alukhwe, also testified in her defence. She told the court that she lost all six of her children in Shakahola, claiming that the children willingly fasted to death in an effort to “meet their Creator.”

Anne further testified that her children dug their own graves before they died and expressed her belief that they are “happy in heaven.”

During cross-examination by the prosecution team on why she did not prevent her children from taking their lives, Anne responded by quoting Matthew 19:14, where Jesus says, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

She identified herself as the wife of co-accused Amos Amanya and alleged that the deaths of her children occurred after she had separated from him.

Explaining how they ended up in Shakahola, Anne claimed that a pastor from a Nairobi church convinced them to relocate to Malindi and even facilitated their flights after they sold their house in Nairobi.

She alleged that the pastor later took all the money from the sale of the house, leaving them stranded and helpless in Shakakhola.

The defence hearing is expected to continue as more witnesses take the stand. The defence has also made an application to allow the adoption of 3 witnesses in the Malindi Criminal Case E003 of 2024 in totality in this matter.