A Mombasa court has declined to grant bond to cult leader Paul Mackenzie and the 38 parents of children rescued from Shakahola forest, citing witness interference.
The suspects' lawyer Wycliffe Makasembo had made an oral application seeking that all the accused persons be admitted to bail and bond.
However, the application was opposed by the prosecution who had filed an affidavit in support of denial of bail
The ruling was made and signed by Tononoka Court Nelly Chepchirchi principal magistrate Nelly Chepchirchir who denied bond to the accused persons.
“Having considered the nature of offences that the accused persons are charged with and the need to safeguard the best interests of the children who are witnesses in this matter, and whom the accused may or have authority over, I find that these are compelling reasons to warrant all the accused persons to be denied bond at this point,” she said.
The case is set for a pre-trial case conference on April 23.
She said that the physical presence of the accused persons is dispensed with at the pre-trial conference, adding that they can however log in virtually.
Mackenzie and 38 co-accused persons were charged with child cruelty, torture, and denying children the right to education.
All 39 accused persons denied all the charges leveled against them.
