Kenya doomsday cult pastor and others will face charges of murder, cruelty and more

By TOM ODULA
Associated Press

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenya’s director of public prosecutions has ordered that 95 people from a doomsday cult be charged with murder, manslaughter, radicalization, cruelty and child torture, among other crimes, over the deaths of 429 people believed to be members of the church. The director was responding to pressure from a magistrate who told the prosecution to charge the suspects within two weeks or the court would release them. For months, prosecutors asked the court for permission to keep holding church leader Paul Mackenzie and 28 others while they looked into the case that has shocked Kenyans. Dozens of mass graves have been found.