A 53-year-old self-proclaimed prophet from Pumula, Bulawayo, has been arrested on charges of allegedly raping his client and forcing her to have sexual intercourse with one of his congregants at his shrine, purportedly as part of the “healing process.”
The matter came to light after the victim, aged 35, (name withheld for ethical reasons) divulged the alleged abuse to her mother.
She told her mother that the prophet identified as Israel Gwatinyanya, was forcing her to indulge in sexual intercourse with him and another congregate from his church.
<a href="https://cite.org.zw/pumula-prophet-arrested-on-rape-charges/">CITE</a> reported a source close to the investigations, who spoke on condition of anonymity, as saying Gwatinyanya had been attending to the victim since August 2022. Said the source:
<blockquote>
Gwatinyanya put up a shrine just behind the Haulin Quarry mine in Pumula suburb. Sometime in August 2022, the victim went to Gwatinyanya for assistance, saying she had a problem with her husband. Gwatinyanya then suggested that she stay with him while getting assistance.
The victim stayed with Gwatinyanya and his wife, sharing the same tent but sleeping on different beds.
In January 2023, Gwatinyanya informed the victim that the spirit told him that she should have sexual intercourse with him for the cleansing process to be successful, the accused had sexual intercourse with her several times from January 2023 to March 2023.
</blockquote>
In July 2023, Gwatinyanya allegedly ordered the woman to have sexual intercourse with another congregant (name supplied) aged 20 as part of her cleansing process. Said the source:
<blockquote>
The victim initially refused but Gwatinyanya forced her and instructed that they go and have intercourse at a nearby bush and after completing the act, they must both come back and report to him.
In August, Gwatinyanya again ordered the victim to have sexual intercourse with the congregant but she complained, citing that she would not indulge in sexual activities because her child was not feeling well.
She also inquired why the cleansing process involved a third party (the congregant) with whom she was forced to have sexual intercourse.
Gwatinyanya disregarded her concerns and maintained that it was all part of the cleansing and she had sexual intercourse for the second time with the congregant.
</blockquote>
The victim reportedly visited her mother on 09 January 2024 and narrated what had happened resulting in a police report being made and the subsequent arrest of Gwatinyanya.
There have been several reports of religious leaders sexually abusing their congregants in Zimbabwe. Some religious organisations have cultures and systems that allow abuse to take place and resist any exposure to this abuse, which can give cover to abusers.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Pindula News

Prophet (53) Arrested On Rape Charges

A gang armed with pistols and machetes reportedly stormed a Bulawayo-based self-proclaimed prophet (madzibaba)’s church service, forcing him to flee for his life.
According to <a href="https://www.bmetro.co.zw/armed-gang-disrupts-church-service/">B-Metro</a>, the incident occurred on Sunday last week in West Nicholson, Matabeleland South province.
Archbishop Emmanuel Mutumwa leader of the Johanne Masowe eChishanu was ministering to his congregants when he was confronted by the eight-member gang.
The assailants are believed to have been friends of a gold miner from Gwanda who recently died in a road accident on his way to Bulawayo.
They stormed the shrine and tried to attack Archbishop Mutumwa as revenge after he allegedly prophesied the gold miner’s death.
At around 5 PM, the assailants approached Archbishop Mutumwa and ordered him to end the service saying he should follow them.
B-Metro reported a source as saying the assailants told Mutumwa that they did not want the members of the church to be caught in the crossfire.
When some members of the congregation asked why they were being asked to leave early, one of the gang members allegedly drew a gun from behind and pointed it at Archbishop Mutumwa’s face before other gang members ran to their vehicles to get machetes.
Archbishop Mutumwa then jumped into his car and drove off at high speed while his assailants pursued him for about 30 kilometres.
At one point, the gang members allegedly tried to force Archbishop Mutumwa to drive into a bridge, pointing a gun at him the whole time.
The source, who is a senior member of the church who witnessed the incident, was quoted as saying:
<blockquote>
He was (Archbishop Mutumwa) chased by the gang for about 30 kilometres along the Gwanda-Beitbridge highway.
He later sought help from police officers and soldiers manning a roadblock near Makhado Business Centre.
He narrated his ordeal to them and they later sought help from police officers from Gwanda Town who later escorted him to Bulawayo.
Archbishop Mutumwa is now living in fear of being harmed by the suspects after they vowed to kill him.
The suspects also harassed some church members accusing them of supporting the prophet. He went into hiding soon after he reported the matter to the police.
</blockquote>
Archbishop Mutumwa later told B-Metro that he reported the matter to the Police and said that he was glad that no one was injured in the incident. He said:
<blockquote>
It is true that a gang armed with pistols and machetes stormed and disrupted my church service while threatening to shoot me and later attacked church members with machetes.
They chased me for about 30 kilometres while trying to shoot me. They only retreated after they failed to catch up with me…
Violence is never the answer, and we should all respect each other’s beliefs and opinions.
</blockquote>
Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) spokesperson in Matabeleland South Province Inspector Loveness Mangena said she had not yet received the report of the incident.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Armed Gang Storm Madzibaba's Shrine Over Death Prophecy

A Chitungwiza-based self-proclaimed prophet has divided his church after he abandoned his wife of eighteen years and married a younger woman from his church.
The cleric, Ezekiel Masiyandima (44), of Ebenezer Prophetic Ministries, left his wife Portia Chiwanga (38), for his 21-year-old congregant, Melania Madamombe.
A significant number of congregants are reportedly boycotting church services in protest over Masiyandima’s move.
Masiyandima confirmed to <a href="https://www.hmetro.co.zw/prophet-dumps-wife-for-young-blood/">H-Metro</a> that he had married Melania because Portia accused him of dabbling in witchcraft after his visit to the late Nigerian pastor, T.B. Joshua’s church, and the mysterious deaths of three of their children. He said:
<blockquote>
It’s true that I have separated with Portia because she has been accusing me of using juju.
Arikunditi ndakaromba zvichitevera rufu rwevana vedu nenzira yaasina kunzwisisa.
She would attack me for my visits to Nigeria to see Prophet TB Joshua and also my last visit to see TB Joshua’s wife.
Her parents misled her into believing white garment prophets and those are the ones who gave falsehoods about the causes of our children’s deaths.
Portia ended up not attending church to engage in cross-border trading, so we are no longer together and she is the one feeding church members with falsehoods.
Yes, I have married one of our church members called Melania saka yanetsa iyoyo.
</blockquote>
Portia told the publication that she regretted marrying the man of the cloth, alleging he is a womaniser, abuser, drunkard, and crook. She said:
<blockquote>
I endured being the wife of someone who claims to be a prophet. Ezekiel would come home drunk and assault me for no reason.
He would take his time to devise ways to take church members’ money and opened a new Ecocash line for that.
Instead of building my faith in God, Ezekiel hardened my heart and dampened my faith and spirit, and I now regret the years I lived as his wife.
God blessed us with five children, but three of them died mysteriously and I do not rule out his so-called mysterious prayers.
He has turned to younger women and I am told he is now living with one woman he is yet to pay lobola for.
Ezekiel never paid any cent to my parents for lobola for the past 18 years. With five children, you would expect such a person to be a responsible father and prophet.
But he is comfortable finding ways of manipulating church members to help him pay lobola for his new young wife.
</blockquote>

"Prophet" (44) Abandons Wife Of 18 Years For Younger Congregant (21)

A white garment self-styled prophet was recently sentenced to 12 months in prison for caressing his client’s private parts and fondling her breasts during a healing “session.”
Simbarashe Shereni (32) appeared before Mutare magistrate, Prisca Manhibi, charged with indecent assault as defined in Section 67 (1) (a) (i) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23.
He pleaded guilty to the charge.
Shereni will, however, serve an effective six-month jail term after six months were suspended on condition of good behaviour.
Prosecuting, Mazvita Kadenha, said that on 9 November this year, near Moffat (Moses Mvenge) Hall in Mutare, Shereni unlawfully caressed Christine Munyanyiwa’s (21) private parts and stomach. Said Kadenha:
<blockquote>
On November 9, the complainant went to Shereni’s shrine near Moffat Hall to seek spiritual assistance from him.
Shereni ordered the complainant to fetch some firewood to heat some stones for steaming. He covered the complainant with a cloth and steamed her.
After that, Shereni asked the complainant to kneel in front of him. He held the complainant’s skirt and panties and pulled them down.
He caressed the complainant’s lower part of the stomach and her privates.
The accused also fondled the complainant’s breast saying he was casting out the evil spirits in her stomach, breasts and private parts. This was done without her consent.
</blockquote>
Shereni said he didn’t mean to abuse the young woman but was helping her to make full progress in her life. He said:
<blockquote>
The spirit of God showed me that she had spells (zvitsinga) in her body that were blocking her life from fully progressing. I wanted to help her so that her life would be progressive.
I removed the spells from her breasts, although I didn’t touch them. I simply gave her instructions on what to do.
I then removed a furry and breathing thing from her private parts and threw it in the fire.
I didn’t ask for payment as I am only a servant of God.
</blockquote>
He also said when the complainant arrived at the shrine, there were two other clients.
Shereni, however, said when he “helped” the complainant, they were alone. | <a href="https://www.manicapost.co.zw/shrine-turns-into-rapists-paradise/">The Manica Post</a>

Fake Prophets Latest News

Latest Jobs