The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has closed the first case related to the Shakahola massacre after 13 months of investigations.
The case involved controversial preacher Paul Makenzi and 34 others, who had been charged with subjecting children to torture, cruelty, and denial of basic education.
The prosecution called a total of 76 witnesses, among them 16 protected witnesses, including 13 children who were alleged to have been subjected to torture inside the Shakahola forest.
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The decision to close the case means the DPP believes sufficient evidence has been presented to support the charges, effectively shifting the burden of proof to the accused as the trial proceeds.
This development marks the first major milestone in the legal process following the Shakahola tragedy, which shocked the country and drew international attention due to the scale of suffering linked to Makenzi’s Good News International Church.
Although the DPP has officially closed the case from its side, the matter now rests with the courts, where the accused will have to defend themselves against the allegations.
Authorities have indicated that several other cases linked to the massacre remain active and will be pursued separately, suggesting that the full legal process surrounding Shakahola is far from over.