The High Court has found controversial pastor Paul Mackenzie guilty of being in possession of and distributing films without a licence.

In a statement released by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP) on Friday, the court ruled that the evidence presented by the prosecution was sufficient to convict Mackenzie. 

His sentencing will be scheduled after a pre-sentence report is tabled in Court.

"One Paul Mackenzie has today been found guilty of being in possession and distributing films which have not been classified and operating a filming studio without a valid filming licence. Prosecution's Joseph Mwangi proved the case," read the statement in part.

"The court also ordered that a pre-sentence report be filed by the Probation and Aftercare Services to capture the sentiments of the complainant, which is the Prosecution," ODPP's statement added. 

The case will be mentioned on December 1, 2023.

Mackenzie was presented before the Malindi Law Courts and charged over the matter on June 30. It was alleged that the films were used to incite students to leave school in 2019.

The controversial pastor is still being held by the police as investigations into the Shakahola Massacre continue. The prosecution applied to have Mackenzie detained for 180 more days before being charged for the deaths that occurred in Kilifi County.

High Court is yet to give a directive on the state's application after the pastor applied for an adjournment.

"The prosecution, through Assistant DPP Jami Yamina had opposed the application and asked the court not to allow any more delay in the hearing of the application by the suspects," the ODPP stated.

"He claimed that this is the third time the suspects in the Shakahola massacre case, which resulted in over 400 deaths, sought to adjourn proceeding in respect to the state's application seeking their detention pending charges."