Online Reporter
Fidelis Munyoro
Chief Court Reporter
IN a dramatic turn of events that gripped the spiritual heartland of Gandanzara, the High Court yesterday delivered a blow to the State-sanctioned exhumation of Peter Jack Masedza, revered as Johane Masowe, the founder of the Gospel of God International church.
The ruling came after a tense legal showdown that halted plans to relocate his remains from the sacred shrine where he was laid to rest in 1973.
Masowe’s final resting place on Dandadzi Hills, just outside Rusape, has long been a pilgrimage site for thousands of followers worldwide.
The Government had authorised his sons, Magaga and Rueben, to exhume and move their father’s remains to a more accessible location—sparking fierce opposition from the church leadership, who viewed the move as a violation of the site’s profound spiritual significance.
Legal representatives for the church, led by Advocate Sylvester Hashiti and Adv Edley Mubaiwa, argued passionately that the exhumation was approved without proper legal procedure, particularly highlighting the absence of a hearing for the church.
“The decision was taken without adhering to the law, which requires the Minister to initiate the process and consider all objections,” Adv Hashiti asserted.
Justice Regis Dembure sided with the church, declaring the authorisation by the Provincial Administrator, Mrs Joice Munamati, to be unlawful.
“The decision…to exhume the remains from the applicant’s shrine is in violation of the Administrative Justice Act and is hereby set aside,” he ruled, effectively putting the exhumation on hold.
Yet, the sons remain undeterred.
Their lawyer, Mr Nickiel Mushangwe, emphasised that the court’s order only resets the administrative process. “Our clients retain the right granted by the High Court and upheld by the Supreme Court to exhume their father. This is a minor procedural setback, not a denial of their substantive rights,” he explained, vowing to resubmit the application promptly.
The dispute has stirred deep emotions within the community. Last week, armed young men guarded the shrine’s entrance, preventing visitors and signaling the church’s fierce resistance to the move. Mr Mushangwe’s formal notice of the planned exhumation, set for April 2, escalated tensions further.
At the heart of this decades-long saga is a clash between familial rights and religious sanctity. The sons argue for accessibility and dignity in relocating their father, while the church insists the original burial site is sacred, chosen by Masowe himself.
The courts have weighed in repeatedly. Last December, the Supreme Court confirmed the sons’ right to initiate exhumation proceedings but stressed that only government authorities, not the judiciary, can authorise the removal of remains.
The court dismissed claims that the shrine should be exempt from the Cemeteries Act, affirming that all exhumations must follow legal protocols. Justice Susan Mavangira, in her judgment, noted, “The applicants have a right to seek the exhumation… Whether they succeed is up to the administrative authorities.”
She further criticised the church’s appeal, stating it “appears to be appealing against an idea, not an order,” underscoring the legal necessity of following due process.
As the legal drama unfolds, the future of Johane Masowe’s remains hangs in the balance, emblematic of a broader struggle between tradition, law, and the deep-rooted faith of a community unwilling to let go of its founding spiritual figure.
The world watches as Rusape’s sacred hills echo with the voices of history, faith, and justice in a case far from settled.
