Teenager charged in ‘baptism death’ saga - NewsDay Zimbabwe

Although a "baptism", sounds like an exorcism gone wrong,,,

The teenager (name withheld), is being charged together with self-proclaimed prophet, Maud Dzvuke (31) and Jane Ruvinga (22).

Through his lawyers, Muringani Mandikumba and Partners, the teenager denied participating in the commission of the offence.

“He is the one who reported the incident to the police and has always co-operated with the police. He was also baptised and did not baptise anyone, hence, there is no reason for him to abscond or interfere with investigations.
He did not flee or try to interfere with the witnesses before he was arrested,” the lawyers said.

“Accused denies he committed or assisted in the commission of the offence. He is not a member of that apostolic sect, but was invited to be baptised to remove evil spirits from him.”

According to State papers, on June 7, at about 6am, Dzvuke, Ruvinga and the teenager allegedly connived to take the children for cleansing in Mutorahuku Stream at Muriwo Village.

Teenager charged in ‘baptism death’ saga - NewsDay Zimbabwe

Prophet sells 'anointed' exam pens... the more you pay the more you pass - Nehanda Radio

Prophet Sham Hungwe of House of Grace International Church, who operates at Machipisa Shopping Centre, distributed hundreds of pens to people who are about to sit for exams.

The pens which cost at least 15 cents were being sold for different amounts ranging between US$1 and US$20 depending on what you can afford.

Prophet Sham said those who are sitting for their exams only needed faith and the anointed pen to pass. “It is anointed and I declare passes when your children sit for exams; when you sit for your exams ,” he said.
,,,
"They (pens) are said to work for anyone who is sitting for any test. My son is not very bright and I think this will help him. With the knowledge he has acquired and this pen from the man of God, I think it is going to work.”

One female congregants parted ways with more than US$10 for a pen as they were told the more they give, the more their faith and the more their children will pass.

Prophet sells 'anointed' exam pens... the more you pay the more you pass - Nehanda Radio

Mystery fires guts down homestead | The Chronicle

A SERIES of mysterious fires that start from thin air have burnt down a homestead and forced a family from Gwanda in Matabeleland South to flee. The nine-member family is now living at an open space away from their home after the fire incidents. The Nkomo family of Tabi Line in Magaya village, Ward 17 yesterday told The Chronicle how the inexplicable fires have hounded them since October last year.

A police officer reportedly ran for dear life when one of the fires started in his presence last week. The officer, the family said, had come to take a statement as police suspected arson. Philemon Nkomo, the head of the family, whose hands were burnt as he tried to douse flames from one of the fires, said he had been traumatised by the infernos that reduced his four-hut-homestead to ashes.
,,,

Villagers in the area said they were shocked with the incidents and were afraid to assist the Nkomo family. They said they suspected the “haunted family” could have wronged someone and the mysterious fires were some form of revenge. “We feel pity for the children but we fear that if we intervene, the terrible fires might end up spreading to our homes. We have tried asking the family about the issue but failed to get any explanation,” said a neighbour Altabel Ndlovu.

“We have never seen such a thing before but in other cultures they call it ngozi (avenging spirits). In our Ndebele culture we have never seen such.” The villagers said they believed the family knew the root of the problem but was hiding it.

Mystery fires guts down homestead | The Chronicle

Tragedy for Christian copying Jesus’ 40-day fast

Consider the source,,,

A 73-year old Christian man trying to emulate Jesus by going without food for 40 days and 40 nights has reportedly died a month into his abstention from all nourishment.

Khulu Reinfirst Manyuka reportedly left his Zimbabwe home on June 15 and headed into the wilderness to pray, redirecting his attention away from worldly things and instead toward God, according to Nehanda Radio.

The report says Manyuka was known by his family and local community as “a very spiritual person whose faith could move mountains.”

“He was a very spiritual man. It’s unfortunate he had to die this way,” said a close relative, requesting anonymity.

Although he was trying to copy or even break Jesus’ epic fast of 40 days, he fell short by 10 days.

“After a month we got the sad news of his death,” the relative noted.

According to family members, Manyuka had no history of illness.

“He was a healthy and religious old man who did not even look his age,” said one family member.

Tragedy for Christian copying Jesus’ 40-day fast

News -- Testing God: Zimbabwe Pastor fails to resurrect after telling people to bury him alive

Zed 24 News reports that High Court Justice Owen Tagu heard how on that day, the late pastor had been invited to attend the home in the Muzarabani district, which is situated along the Mozambique-Zimbabwe border, by their priest, Zvidzai Muchengeti.

The five men had requested the priest to help them clean their home of evil spirits, because it was causing mysterious deaths in their family.

Responding to their request to perform a healing ceremony, Kanyama had ordered his followers to dig a grave and bury him alive because that was the way he summoned more healing powers to ward off evil spirits. However, the plan backfired on the prophet when instead of being resurrected as he supposed, the men dug up the grave again to find him dead.

Kanyama helped to dig his own grave before praying and jumping inside, Father Zvidzai, who has turned State witness, told the High Court. He continued that after laying face down in the grave, he ordered his followers to start covering him with soil. 

"He pegged a grave-shaped pit in front of my hut and asked for help to dig the pit," Zvidzai continued. "Deceased requested to be buried alive so that he would gain power to drive away the evil forces."

News -- Testing God: Zimbabwe Pastor fails to resurrect after telling people to bury him alive

Bulawayo24 NEWS | 'Where are the foreskins?'

H/T to Sharon Hill at Doubtful News for this gem, "What I saw in this story is the ease with which local superstition is utilized as a viable excuse. Why not argue the merits not include some occult possibilities. When such a superstition is widely believed, such as witchcraft in this part of Africa, people seeking to influence opinion will use the powerful fear of it to bolster their argument."
__
Mlotshwa demanded that those who carryout circumcision should give back their patients the foreskins.

"There is a case of witchcraft in Zimbabwe," Mlotshwa said.

[,,,]
"What happens to these foreskins of 100 boys that are put in a basket by this doctor?

"What happens to these foreskins of these children, colleagues?

"Is it not better to give each person his foreskin to dispose the way they see fit?

"This is because putting them together in a basket will invite witchcraft."

She claimed some could be using the foreskins to get charms to enhance their chances of getting married.

"We so much want to get married nowadays and we want to use the young boys' foreskins to mix with whatever we mix with to get more money," Mlotshwa added.

"It is known in Africa that the parts of a body are better in trying to do that.

"Even for grown-up people who are mature, why do you leave your foreskins to be mixed with whoever's foreskin in the basket there, when a doctor can be bought to put all those foreskins together and go and sell them?

"Who is there to see that these foreskins are disposed of property?"

Bulawayo24 NEWS | 'Where are the foreskins?'

Man stones uncle to death over witchcraft

A GUTU man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for stoning his 71 year-old uncle to death, accusing him of practicing witchcraft in the family.

Kasiel Muhwava, 31, wept uncontrollably when High Court Judge, Justice Susan Mavhangira handed down judgment on Thursday.

He had denied murder with actual intent arguing he only retaliated with anger after the uncle, Shadreck Muhwava, swore that he would not live to see the next day.

Defence attorney, Frank Chirairo, told the court that Kasiel approached Shadreck after consulting a witch-doctor who allegedly told to him that his uncle was responsible for the death of his two children.

The traditional healer is also said to have claimed that the uncle was also responsible for Kaisel's own illness.

Man stones uncle to death over witchcraft