In a compelling courtroom testimony, a young survivor exposed the terrifying depths of Paul Mackenzie’s cult, revealing how the preacher’s deadly doctrine of fasting to death tore families apart and led to the tragic Shakahola massacre.

On Tuesday, before the Mombasa Law Courts, a narration of how Mackenzie promised his followers that he would be the last to fast, grow wings, and fly to heaven to meet them with Jesus.

The witness, a minor under the witness protection agency, recounted his personal ordeal, painting a vivid and gloomy picture of the preacher’s manipulative influence.

According to the minor, his mother first encountered Mackenzie’s teachings in Eldoret, sparking a bitter disagreement with his father that ultimately fractured their family.

Driven by Mackenzie’s promise of a direct ticket to heaven, his mother moved them to Kitale and later to Shakahola to be closer to the preacher.

According to a statement by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), the young witness described a strict fasting order dictated by Mackenzie.

“The kids would fast first, followed by the youth, the women, and finally the men,” he explained. Mackenzie’s ultimate vow was to “grow wings and fly to meet them in heaven.”

Twice, the boy managed to escape the harsh conditions in Shakahola, seeking food from neighbors after fasting for three days.

Each time, Mackenzie’s followers, including his own mother, found him and dragged him back, where he was punished for his defiance.

Luckily, he lived to narrate the horrifying ordeal.