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Fidelis Munyoro Chief Court Reporter
Apostolic sect leader Madzibaba Ishmael Chokurongerwa was last week granted $1000 bail coupled with stringent conditions, after spending two months on remand in custody.
He has been forbidden from conducting any service or presiding over a church gathering.
Chokurongerwa is charged along with his seven co-accused of two counts of contravening sections of the Burial and Cremation Act and of the Children’s Act.
He successfully appealed for bail at the higher court after Norton magistrate, Ms Christine Nyandoro rejected his request, on the grounds that he was likely to interfere with State witnesses given his influence within his sect.
In granting Chokurongerwa bail, the court also barred him from organising any church gatherings, but ruled that there was no longer any risk of interference with witnesses, according to the National Prosecuting Authority.
He was also ordered to reside at his given address until the finalisation of his case and should not interfere with witnesses and to report to the police three times a week until the matter is finalised.
Madzibaba Ishmael’s co-accused are part of Johane Masowe, Gore Jena Penyera Nyika, and they are Shingirai Ngawafune (42), Takavengwa Gwenzi (55), Zebedia Sigudu (49), Devlodge Katsande (47), Aaron Chokurongerwa (47), Wonder Kabaya (41) and Siribinio Chikurunhe (53).
They were all represented by lawyer Ms Purity Chikanganise. The magistrates court had denied Chokurongerwa bail saying there could be public outrage if they were admitted to bail while witnesses would continue to be victimised.
It was ruled that the accused are people of influence in their community and the likelihood of them interfering with witnesses was high.
The State is alleging that the eight buried or conducted funeral services for Hazel Chikunhire and Winlet Kabaya without obtaining a proper burial order for the two.
It is further alleged that the sect leaders, being guardians of the children that lived at the church’s compound in Nyabira, neglected, abandoned and exposed the children in a manner that likely caused them unnecessary suffering.
Their arrests came after police raided the farm and rescued 251 children, with 246 found to have no birth certificates.
Police also found 16 graves near Madzibaba Ishmael’s shrine and investigations showed that they were for nine adults and seven children.
Online Reporter