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Court Reporter
Johanne Masowe eChishanu apostolic sect leader Madzibaba Ishmael Chokurongerwa was yesterday denied bail after the court ruled that he is a flight risk.The court said it was surprised by Chokurongerwa’s claim that he was not on the run for the past seven months following the violence at his Shrine in Harare.
Chokurongerwa (44) appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Milton Serima facing public violence charges.
He was remanded in custody to January 20.
While handing down his ruling, Mr Serima said Chokurongerwa was not a proper candidate for bail.
“After the violence the accused was never located and one wonders why he, being the leader of the apostolic sect, never showed up at his shrine.
“He would have been expected to come back and find out what happened. The accused is likely to flee because members of his sect were sentenced and that can prompt him to run away,” he said.
However, Chokurongerwa’s lawyer Mr Shepherd Mushonga had offered to pay $1 000 for bail coupled with stringent bail conditions. His basis for bail application was that he neither used cell phones nor television, radio , nor read newspapers therefore he was not aware that the police were looking for him.
“He was not present when the offence was committed. If he was there surely he would have stopped the violence.
“The police never advertised him in the newspaper that he is on the police wanted list. Despite sensationalisation of this case, stringent bail conditions will meet justice of this matter,” he said. Chokurongerwa was arrested at his rural home in Chigogodza Village, Musami, in Murehwa.
The prosecutor Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa alleged that on May 30 last year at around 11am Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe president Bishop Johannes Ndanga, his delegation and the police went to the shrine at Budiriro 2 Park in Harare.
The purpose of the visit was to address the issue of denying children formal education among other issues.
It is alleged that Bishop Ndanga ordered the arrest of Chokurongerwa after he ordered him to speak in Shona instead of English and started the song “Humambo hwepfumo neropa,” resulting in his congregants attacking the police, ZBC cameraman Relax Mafurutu and others.
A ZBC BAW pick-up truck was also damaged and a tripod camera stand valued at $1 350.
Online Reporter