The government has lamented the challenges it is facing in feeding Paul Mackenzie and his 30 fellow suspects, who are facing trial for their alleged role in the Shakahola Forest Massacre.

The prosecution, led by Jami Yamina, told the court that feeding the suspects has been a daily challenge, as they have been transferred to different police station cells so that they can find something to eat.

"They were transferred because of food issues. The food had run out, so we had to move them to a place where they could get food," said Yamina.

The suspects have also complained about the lack of food, complaining that they were only given bean soup while in detention.

On Friday, June 2, before the trial began, Mackenzie jokingly asked the press to buy him milk and bread.

"You journalists have made some money, and you can't even buy me bread. I am so stressed here that I cannot earn money. Go and bring me at least a packet of milk," said Mackenzie.

The defendants' lawyers, Elisha Komora, Wycliffe Makasembo and George Kariuki, feared that the government would interrupt their efforts to visit and talk to the suspects.

"I visited the Malindi police station on my way to Lamu but found that the suspects had been transferred to a different police station. The government should inform us when to transfer the suspects so that we don't waste time and money visiting police stations and miss them," said Komora.

The suspects also complained about the difficult conditions of life in custody, saying they had not changed their clothes for over a month.

"The suspects have told me that the detectives have now started to torture them psychologically and physically. This is against the law," said Makasembo.

He claimed that some detectives tried to force some suspects to sign confessions related to the events of Shakahola.

But Yamina opposed the allegations saying that the allegations are serious and should be submitted to the court in the form of an affidavit attaching evidence to support the allegations.

Also, the suspects claimed they were being denied privacy even when going to the bathroom to relieve themselves.

They claimed that the police refused to remove their handcuffs, forcing them to go to the toilet in pairs.

"We are handcuffed even when we go to the toilet. We have to go there two by two," they complained.

The trial of Paul Mackenzie and his accomplices is set to continue on June 9.