Pastor Ezekiel Odero (white shirt) and Pastor Paul Makenzie in court. | Photo: Courtesy.

The Kenyan pastor accused of starving his followers to death in order to see Jesus was re-arrested on Tuesday shortly after he appeared in court.

Paul Mackenzie Nthenge of Good News International Church was arraigned at the Malindi court in Kenya’s east along with six others over the mass starvation of his followers.

According to Kenya Broadcasting Cooperation, Makenzie is being tried for his role in the “Shakahola Forest Massacre”, where at least 109 members of his sect were found dead.

The religious cult leader was first arrested in 2017, on charges of ‘radicalization’ and ‘teaching in an unregistered institution’. But he was later tried and acquitted in October 2021.

In March 2019, a member of his church was also charged with “cruelty and neglect of children” which raised further questions about his sect.

Meanwhile, another religious leader identified as Ezekiel Odero was arrested at his church in Kilifi County last Thursday and is being detained at Port Police Station.

Pastor Odero who heads the New Life Prayer Centre is accused of conspiracy to have committed including but not limited to the felony of murder; aiding suicide; abduction; radicalization, genocide; crimes against humanity; child cruelty, fraud, and money laundering and for being accessories before or after the fact.

The preacher is also accused of having links with Kilifi cult leader Paul Mackenzie, which he denied.