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Samuel Kadungure
Senior Reporter
A RUSAPE-BASED apostolic sect was recently plunged into mourning after a new convert drowned in Rusape Dam during a church baptism ceremony.
Muzondiwa Jana (62) allegedly drowned on Sunday during a baptism ceremony conducted by Ashid Deda, a senior member of the Nyenyedzi Nomwe Apostolic Sect.
Jana’s body was only retrieved on Tuesday by the Zimbabwe Republic Police’s Sub-aqua Unit and was positively identified by his relatives at Rusape General Hospital.
Jana was from Muchatisi Village under Chief Tandi.
He was a popular cart-pusher who operated in the town while religiously wearing GRJ church regalia.
Jana recently severed ties with the GRJ Church to join Nyenyedzi Nomwe Apostolic Sect, and the baptism ceremony that claimed his life was meant to regularise his membership with the apostolic sect.
Acting Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka confirmed the development, adding that investigations are in progress.
“The body of Muzondiwa Jana was retrieved with the assistance of the Sub-aqua Unit near St Joseph’s High School and it has since been positively identified. The matter is still under investigation and the body awaits post-mortem.
“The incident happened on March 13, around 12 when the Nyeredzi Nomwe Apostolic Sect leader, Ashid Deda (65) of Cheneka Village was baptising church members in the dam. Deda baptised Jana who afterwards tried to swim to the banks and drowned.
“Efforts to rescue him were in vain. Sect members formed a search party, but failed to locate him. They later notified the police who attended the scene, but failed to locate the body. The Sub-aqua Unit attended the scene on Tuesday and retrieved the body,” said Assistant Inspector Chinyoka.
When Jana’s body could not be located during search parties conducted on the fateful day and Monday, the rumour-mill was abuzz with claims that he had been taken by a mermaid.
The mermaid theory purports that between March and August every year, a mermaid in Rusape Dam, famously known as Daniel, sacrifices one person.
A relative who spoke to The Manica Post on condition of anonymity revealed that they had engaged a traditional healer to perform rituals in the hope that Jana would return alive.
It is understood the sangoma visited the scene on Monday evening and assured them that Jana would come back alive.
Hordes of residents thronged the scene to witness the miracle, but left disappointed when the Sub-aqua Unit emerged from the water with Jana’s lifeless body.
Cases of drowning in the dam are rampant.
However, despite this, church baptisms continue to be conducted at the dam.
Online Reporter