Lands and Physical Planning Principal Secretary Nixon Korir says government records show that preacher Paul Mackenzie does not own 800 acres in Shakahola, Kilifi County.
Appearing before the Senate Ad Hoc Committee probing the Shakahola deaths, Korir said the government has no evidence to prove Mackenzie owns the land further deepening the mystery over ownership of the vast property.
In his submissions, Korir said that the land where the Shakahola massacre happened was unoccupied, and is part of the 50,000 Chakama ranch, whose lease expires in 2029 and is expected to be reverted back to the government.
Last week while appearing before the committee, representative of Chakama ranching company limited said that it has never interacted with Mackenzi nor sold to him any portion of the 100,000-acre piece of land.
Government pathologist Johansen Oduor who was set to appear before the committee did not show up saying he was overseeing the fourth phase of autopsies of bodies exhumed from the Shakahola forest.
Reporting by Gladys Mungai