Paul Nthenge Mackenzie and thirty others have been ordered by the Malindi High Court to undertake a mental assessment within 14 days before the beginning of their murder trial.

Mackenzie and his co-accused have been in custody for being masterminds behind the Shakahola massacre.

The suspects have been in custody as the investigations were ongoing.  they are currently held in Shimo Latewa, Kilifi, and Malindi prisons.

The pastor and his fellow accused are each set to face five charges and ten counts related to murder, torture, assault, slaughter, and terrorism.

High Court Judge Thade Mugure has ordered the suspects to undergo a psychiatric evaluation for 14 days. The court has further ordered that a bail hearing will be deferred until the accused can take a plea.

The suspects will be presented before the Mombasa, Shanzu, and Tononoka courts where their hearing will take place separately. With their hearing set to start as of 6th February this year.

This comes days after court warned that it might free the preacher stating that it has been a long journey that must come to an end.

The Good News International Ministries religious doctrine head and his co-accused were arrested following the deaths of over four hundred people within the religious doctrine.

However, Mackenzie has been serving a one-year sentence for operating a television station and other filming g  activities with proper licensing. 

The massacre was discovered early weeks of April after a man contacted the police after his wife and daughter left Nairobi to join the ministry in Kilifi County and failed to return. 

Police discovered shallow graves as well as emaciated people,

Owing to this revelation investigations were put in place and the pastor was named to being the mastermind after several of the congregation members identified him as the one ordering them to starve themselves for 'redemption.'

The investigations have been ongoing since then.