Report: Children rescued from Shakahola cult had severe mental problems

A top psychologist has told the court that children rescued from cult inside the Shakahola forest were traumatised from torture, starvation, isolation, indoctrination and exposure to deaths.

In a report, Dr Florence Mueni, a clinical psychologist and therapist, testified at the Tononoka Children's Court that the children rescued three years ago battled severe mental health.

She told Principal Magistrate Nelly Chepchirchir that they performed several therapy sessions on the minors who had presented trauma and traumatic grief-related symptoms.

Dr Mueni handled 13 children who narrated how they were ordered not to cry for their siblings and parents who succumbed after forced starvation.

Some 488 bodies of the followers of Good News International (GNI) linked to controversial pastor Paul Makenzi were retrieved from the shallow graves inside the Shakahola forest.

Medical reports indicate that some were hit in the head by blunt objects, others suffocated, but others starved to death after the doomsday cult told them the world was coming to an end.

At the Children's Court, Dr Mueni said that one of the children kept exhibiting intrusive thoughts and sadness from the trauma of being tied to a tree.

“The child experiences recurring nightmares and intrusive thoughts of witnessing people die. He expressed sadness when recalling the trauma, including being tied to a tree,” said Dr Mueni, referring to one of the children.

The physiologist and play therapist were part of volunteers who counseled the minors and heard their untold plight, including being exposed to torture and cruelty while in Shakahola Forest.

However, Mackenzie, through lawyer Lawrence Obonyo, opposed the production of Dr Mueni's report because she was not licensed in 2023 in accordance with the provisions of the Counsellors and Psychologists Act of 2016 that required all counsellors to be licensed annually.

The magistrate dismissed Makenzi's application for lack of merit.

Makenzi and his 37 co-accused are facing kidnapping, cruelty, torture and infringement of the right to education, among other child-related offences.

In her report, Dr Mueni said that some children suffered from anger and stress disorders and repeated nightmares associated with cruelty and torture of fellow children and adults.

“This child reported that the death of his brother, who died while he was watching him, was the worst part of the experience,” said Dr Mueni while referring to another minor.

She said some children reported disturbing mental health symptoms linked to the harrowing ordeal in the forest, with others suffering memory gaps due to dizziness and physical weakness during the fasting period.

“He also reported fear, anger, shame, and a loss of interest in things he previously enjoyed,” stated Dr Mueni in reference to a minor she had counselled.

The psychologist also testified that due to starvation and isolation, the minors’ body systems had a collapse response – a trauma response where the body shuts down due to perceived danger or overwhelming stress.

The expert witness said at the initial stage of counselling, they struggled to deal with some radicalised children, who feared when they heard the name of Pastor Paul Nthege Mackenzie.

However, Dr Mueni said after several months of therapy and psychosocial support, the majority of children gained confidence to process the grief and resumed schooling.

According to Chief Raymond, Msindah testified that prior to the massacre, the villagers reported a lot of non-schoolgoing children in the forest.

The chief further received reports that three children had escaped the forest and were being sheltered by village elders Joseph Sulubu and Changawa Mangi.

He escalated the matter and got in touch with the children officer, who later transferred them to children's homes via court orders.

The Chief said he proceeded to Shakahola on a fact-finding mission but could not proceed deeper into the forest after he came across a group of armed men.

The Chief said he reported the matter and what he had seen at the forest to the police, who thereafter conducted a raid.

He also identified one of the accused persons, Evans Sirya, among Mackenzie's associates he sighted within the forest.