Controversial preacher Paul Mackenzie has been sentenced to a year in prison for running a film studio and making films without a valid licence.
The Senior Resident Magistrate of Malindi, Olga Onalo also sentenced him to another six months in jail for showing the films to the public through the Times TV channel without having an operating license.
The sentences will run concurrently but Mackenzie has the right to appeal within 14 days. This comes after the investigating officer handling the case recommended that Mackenzie be denied the option of a fine for the sentence.
“Regarding the two charges, I sentence the defendant to twelve months in prison, the third charge, the defendant’s statement that he did not know the need for a license from the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) after obtaining a broadcasting license is accepted even though it is completely unacceptable because there is no defense for ignorance of the law, therefore, I sentence the defendant to six months in prison,” said Onalo.
The offenses against Mackenzie attract a jail term of not more than one year and an alternative fine of not more than 100,000 shillings.
The report submitted to court was based on a court order that directed the law enforcement office to prepare a report leading to the conviction of Mackenzie in a 2019 case related to running a recording and television studio without a valid license from KFCB.
The investigation department report in Mombasa explained that in previous criminal records, Mackenzie was found guilty and fined for the same offense in 2017.
