malvernmugadzikwa
Online Reporter
EX-CONVICT and apostolic sect church leader Madzibaba Ishmael Chokurongerwa and his followers are believed to have rushed early this month to secure birth certificates for the 48 children he is accused of denying access to the documents at his shrine in Nyabira.
This emerged during the ongoing trial in which Madzibaba Ishmael and eight others are being accused of ill-treating children, conducting a burial without a burial order and failing to give notice of the birth and death of a person.
He is jointly charged with Takavengwa Gwenzi (55), Siribiniyo Chikunhire (53), Wonder Kabaya (41), Devlodge Katsande (48), Zebedia Sigudu (49), Aaron Chokurongerwa (47) and Shingirai Ngavafume (42), all from Lilly Farm, Nyabira.
Testifying before Norton magistrate, Mrs Christine Nyandoro, State witness Mr Farai Gatusa from the Birth and Death registration department said he doubted the authenticity of the birth certificates he was shown in court by Madzibaba Ishmael’s lawyer.
Mr Gatusa said the birth certificates were uncertified and showed that they were all obtained on the same date in June this year.
He said the date showed that the documents were acquired well after his department visited the farm in a bid to document the children in March this year.
Mr Gatusa said when they visited the farm, Madzibaba Ishmael attempted to block them from conducting their duties.
He said he and his team noted some graves and that about 48 children did not have birth certificates.
Another State witness and a village head from the area, Mr Nzwanai Musonza, told the court that he would be occasionally called by Madzibaba Ishmael to ‘officiate’ at the burials.
He said he thought Madzibaba Ishmael would have informed authorities of the burials and was shocked to learn that no official documents were being obtained.
Online Reporter