Online Reporter
Lloyd Mwale in KADOMA and Paul Pindani in CHINHOYI
A ROW over the sprinkling of ashes and charcoal in a cleansing ceremony for evil spirits at two houses near a shrine in Kadoma ended in tragedy on Friday with a man being killed.
Two prophets − Misheck Muperiwa, 22, and Costain Tshuma, 28 − who are members of the Johane Masowe Jerusalem Apostolic Faith Church, were conducting the cleansing ceremony.
Shepherd Mpofu, 49, questioned the cleansing ceremony, and the source of their powers, and was attacked by Muperiwa and Tshuma.
Mashonaland West Provincial Acting Police Spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Effort Chapoto, told H-Metro the incident happened in the Ingezi area of Kadoma.
Chapoto said on Friday, at around 7am, Muperiwa and his colleague Tshuma were conducting prayers around the houses close to their shrine.
He said the two were moving around scattering ashes and charcoal, which they said were holy and had powers of cleansing and protecting their shrine as well as the area of Mupamombe from evil spirits.
Chapoto said the exercise did not go well with Mpofu, who questioned where the two had got their authority to perform the cleansing ceremony and where they derived their powers from.
“A misunderstanding arose as the now deceased tried to block the two from carrying out their mission.
“The misunderstanding deteriorated into a fierce battle,” said Chapoto.
He said Muperiwa attacked Mpofu with a clay pot and he collapsed to the ground.
“Muperiwa continued to pelt him with stones until Mpofu was unconscious.
“A neighbour to the deceased, Simbarashe Gombera, tried to restrain Muperiwa but some stones were also directed to him and he ran away.
“Gombera went to make a report at Ingezi base,” he said.
Chapoto said police attended the scene of the crime and took Mpofu’s body to Kadoma General Hospital mortuary.
“We continue to appeal to the public to desist from solving issues alone if they feel they can erupt into violent endings.
“Engage your local police station for professional help and peace,” said Chapoto.
Sources told H-Metro:
“Tshuma had been told to bring the clay pot on Thursday night so that the cleansing ceremony would be done under the guise of darkness, the ashes and charcoal were supposed to be scattered at night away from the public eyes.
“The clay pot was also supposed to be put at the centre of the crossroads also without the knowledge of the public but the prophet’s (Muperiwa) mission could not be done at night, forcing them to hold it in the early hours of Friday.”
Mathew Masinge