A 17-year-old boy has testified that controversial preacher Paul Nthenge Mackenzie protected a man who raped his younger sister seven years ago inside Good News International Church.

The boy, who was 10 at the time, told the court that Mackenzie and fellow pastor George Mwaura obstructed his mother from reporting the incident to the Malindi police station. The accused was the husband of a female preacher at Mackenzie’s church in Furunzi-Malindi, Kilifi County.

According to a statement from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP) on Saturday, Mombasa Chief Magistrate Alex Ithuku heard that the two pastors sought to resolve the defilement case within the church but instead covered it up and denied the family justice.

“Mackenzie told the victim’s mother, a church member, not to report the incident, promising to deal with the perpetrator,” stated the ODPP.

“However, the witness said Mackenzie and Pastor Mwaura instead covered up the matter, frustrating their quest for justice.”

The girl was later married to a man who had eloped with her at a young age.

The ODPP said the boy testified that the incident changed his perception of Mackenzie and his church, leading him to abandon the mandatory daily Bible study sessions, which Mackenzie’s doctrines deemed essential.

He recounted how, one morning, his mother brought him home with a man who bound his hands and forcefully returned him to Bible study classes after subjecting him to a severe beating.

“The minor testified that upon his return, Mackenzie’s brother and an accused person whipped him thoroughly for missing the studies,” stated the ODPP.

The court also heard that the church taught children to reject education, medication, and other worldly affairs, instead guiding them to memorize Bible verses for reference.

The witness read some of the verses he had memorized in the courtroom, where Mackenzie, his wife Rhoda Mumbua Maweu, and 92 others are charged with 283 counts of manslaughter.

He also testified that Evans Kolombe Sirya, one of the accused, coached children and instructed them to lie to a Malindi magistrate court in a case against Mackenzie.

“Sirya would transport the minors in his tuktuk to the court and coach them on how to testify, threatening them with divine retribution if they told the truth,” the boy stated.

The minor's mother reportedly relocated to Shakahola forest with other followers of Mackenzie and died after several days of fasting. Her remains have not been found, and DNA analysis has yet to match any of the 429 bodies recovered from shallow graves.

The hearing is scheduled to continue from September 9 to 12 this year.