A seventh prosecution witness in the Shakahola massacre case has recounted on how he was forced to aid his one-and-a-half-year-old daughter fast to death.
Appearing before Shanzu Senior Principal Magistrate Leah Juma on Thursday, July 25, the protected witness disclosed that he was hesitant at first as he tried to protect the child.
However, he later succumbed to pressure from elders who were enforcing the fast and monitoring the deaths.
According to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), the elders were acting on the instructions of Paul Nthege Mackenzie, the main suspect in the case.
"The witness recounted that he had no choice but to deprive his daughter of food and water, leading to her death after 15 days. He also shared that his wife died after enduring a ten-day starvation period in a makeshift tent where she had relocated," the ODPP remarked.
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The witness further maintained that he made an attempt to escape but was deterred by his fear of being captured and lack of resources.
"Following his wife's death, the witness told the court that he spent his remaining time in the forest transporting bodies from makeshift tents to burial sites and digging graves," the ODPP added.
At the same time, the witness intimated that many children lost their lives between January and February 2023 following Mackenzie's declaration of a fasting period.
He noted that the fast was initially voluntary before it was made mandatory by Mackenzie.
Similarly, the witness added that Mackenzie personally conducted burials for children who succumbed to starvation.
The court adjourned the hearing of the case until September 30, 2024, with further proceedings scheduled from October 1 to October 3, 2024, and October 28 to October 31, 2024.
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