admin
Yeukai Karengezeka-Court Correspondent
APOSTOLIC sect leader Madzibaba Ishmael Chokurongerwa and one of the leaders of his alleged cult, Takavengwa Gwenzi, failed to appear in court yesterday to face charges of contravening the Burial and Cremation Act and the Children’s Protection and Adoption Act, after they were reported to be sick.
Their accomplices, Shingirai Ngawafune (42), Zebedia Sigudu (49), Devlodge Katsande (47), Aaron Chokurongerwa (47) Wonder Kabaya (41) and Siribinio Chikurunhe (53), appeared before Norton magistrate Ms Christine Nyandoro.
Chokurongerwa, who is in custody, was not brought to court by the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service because of a reported illness while Gwenzi is also said to be hospitalised at Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare.
Ms Purity Chikangaise is defending the accused.
The State represented by prosecutors Mr Tafara Chirambira and Ms Sheila Mupindu applied for warrants of arrest against the two missing accused.
In terms of Section 113 of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act, they also made an application for confirmation of warned and cautioned statements of the six accused, who were present in court yesterday.
Chikunhire, Kabaya and Ngavafume had their statements confirmed while Katsande, Sigudu and Aaron Chokurongerwa denied having given their statements to police freely and voluntarily.
In their statements, the accused admitted to burying Hazel Chikurunhe without a burial order, submitting that they got permission from the local headman and chief.
Regarding the alleged ill-treatment of the children found at the shrine, they argued that they were following their church beliefs, which dictated that only God could heal the children.
On the charge of not notifying authorities about the birth of children, they made the statement that it was not in line with their church tradition to do so.
The trial is expected to open on May 23.
On fresh charges, Madzibaba Chokurongerwa is now accused of murder and being intimate with girls aged between 13 and 16 years.
Chokurongerwa, Siribhino Chikurunhe and Kabaya allegedly connived to terminate Hazel Chikurunhe’s pregnancy on November 12 last year, resulting in her death.
Hazel was secretly buried at the church’s shrine at Lily Farm in Nyabira without following due procedure.
Her body was exhumed recently for investigations.
Online Reporter