Kenyan preacher Paul Mackenzie faced legal repercussions in a high-profile trial, but surprisingly not for the deaths of over 400 individuals associated with his doomsday cult.

The senior resident magistrate in Malindi, Olga Onalo, instead convicted Mackenzie for operating a television studio and distributing films without the necessary licence from the Kenya Film Classification Board.

The preacher, detained for more than six months following his April arrest, was linked to the discovery of numerous bodies in mass graves across his expansive 800-acre property in the coastal Kilifi county.

Allegations suggest that Mackenzie directed his followers to abstain from food, supposedly to encounter Jesus. Despite multiple court appearances, he has not faced formal charges related to these deaths, although the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions identified him as the primary suspect.

On Friday, Mackenzie was acquitted of additional charges, including influencing children against school attendance and employing radical sermons to provoke Christians against Hindus, Buddhists, and Muslims. His sentencing for the film-related offenses is scheduled for December 1, potentially carrying a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

Prosecutors have sought a six-month extension for Mackenzie's custody to finalize investigations, including the search for numerous missing individuals. This case has sparked conversations about the need for government regulations concerning churches in Kenya.