A section of controversial cult leader Paul Mackenzie's followers could barely walk or sit while appearing before a High Court in Mombasa on Tuesday.
As they alighted from the police vehicle, several suspects appeared too frail forcing the police and court to raise an alarm on their wellbeing.
In a video seen by Kenyans.co.ke, the majority who were women could be seen lying on the court’s floor, depicting the extent of the hunger strike.
Meanwhile, the prime suspect, Mackenzie could be seen maintaining a steady sitting position while the co-accused exhibited feeble gestures.
According to the prosecution report, the accused are said to have staged a three-day hunger strike while under custody.
The High Court Judge Alex Ithuku instructed the police to hold the suspects in the court’s holding to allow their lawyer to represent them before him.
A fortnight ago, Mackenzie and 29 other co-accused persons were charged with the murder of 191 children whose bodies were exhumed from Shakahola Forest.
Mackenzie and his accomplices denied the charges with the defendants’ lawyer demanding the accused be released on bond.
Even so, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP) opposed the release of the suspects, arguing that the suspects were a flight risk.
Prosecution lead Victor Mule informed Lady Justice Mugure Thande further argued that 30 out of 31 suspects were found fit to stand trial after undergoing mental assessment.
"The psychiatrist assessment revealed that the 4th accused person is unfit to take a murder plea. The prosecution applied for 30 days for him to undergo a second mental test before deciding his fate," read the ODPP's statement in part filed by Mule, who also serves as the Acting Deputy Director in the Department of County Affairs and Regulatory Services.
The court therefore instructed the accused’s lawyers to lodge their submissions within a week to allow the ODPP to file its rejoinder by February 20 2024.
