Controversial Preacher Paul Mackenzie’s SIM Cards Under Investigation by Communications Authority
The Communications Authority (CA) is investigating all SIM cards registered to Paul Mackenzie, a controversial preacher.
On Monday, CA Director General Ezra Chiloba stated before a Special Committee investigating the Shakahola starvation cult that they have traced six lines registered under Pastor Mackenize, four from Safaricom and two from Telkom.
There is also evidence linking Mackenzie to a few Airtel lines, according to Chiloba, but details on this front remain scant.
It is believed that the lines were used to receive money transactions between him and his followers, he said.
“There are currently four Safaricom mobile numbers associated with ID number 146****. From Telkom’s perspective, we have two lines, so I am unaware of the Airtel lines. So far, we have six leads that require further investigation,” he said.
Chiloba further explained to the committee chaired by Senator Danstan Mungatana that California has no authority to deny Mackenzie any streaming rights or prevent violations from being broadcast on media platforms.
“Our mandate is to deal with your licenses, and these licenses have terms and conditions that are part of the subsidiary instruments we use to monitor compliance. When these licenses leave the office and enter the online space, however, we have no direct mandate in that space. This is the conundrum we find ourselves in: to what extent can we bring this down?
ALSO READ: Unusual Twist: 65 Mackenzie Victims Charged by DPP After Fasting in Shakahola
“However, given the developments and what we are observing, especially when we kept reiterating the content we had in our system, it became clear that the online presence of Pastor Machenzie’s teachings would become a major issue, which is why we said, ‘Let’s mop out all the information we know about that so that we can provide direction whenever we are contacted.'”
He went on to explain that CA cannot independently remove online content without the assistance of government security agencies.
“CA does not have a direct mandate to enforce some of these violations, particularly those of a criminal nature.” We must collaborate with other government departments, the [Ministry of] Interior, the police, and NIS to deal with this,” he said.
75% of the time, when such incidents occur, it is the criminal investigation department that contacts CA for assistance.
Chiloba also informed the committee that bank accounts registered in his name contain no funds.
The committee was established by President William Ruto to investigate the disturbing starvation cult, to prosecute those who were found to have aided the crime.
Mackenzie, the leader of the Good News International Church, is accused of brainwashing his followers into starving themselves to death so they can “meet Jesus.”
In the meantime, ongoing exhumations in the Shakahola forest have uncovered 336 bodies.
Additionally, 95 people were reportedly rescued, while 613 remain missing. Their relatives have also identified 19 victims.
Controversial Preacher Paul Mackenzie’s SIM Cards Under Investigation by Communications Authority
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