
Gibson Mhaka
THE ongoing abuse of women by self-proclaimed prophets and sangomas, often under the guise of healing or cleansing rituals, has disturbing consequences.
These so-called healers prey on women, including married women and their manipulative tactics can evoke cruel and insensitive reactions. It is alleged that whenever a female client consults certain traditional healers or prophets, they are told to undress for the application of muthi in their private parts and they agree.
Women usually get lubricated vaginally during cleansing rituals and the entire fault often lies with the victims. Despite police warnings urging women to avoid secluded consultations, these crimes continue. In another disturbing case, a 14-year-old girl endured a bizarre ritual at the hands of a self-styled prophet. The degrading, humiliating and painful experience will likely haunt her for the rest of her life.
This was after the prophet, Boniface Mureka from Tshabalala suburb in Bulawayo ordered the girl whose name is being withheld for legal reasons to remove all her clothes and to squat in a dish with milk so that he would cleanse her. Mureka is alleged to have started bathing the girl before he inserted his fingers inside her privates.
Details of the shocking ritual came to light when Mureka, who is now facing charges of aggravated indecent assault and is languishing in remand prison, applied to the High Court for bail pending trial.
Allegations against Mureka are that on 28 June 2024, he invited the victim, who was already at his house, to come inside for prayers. According to reports, he then instructed everyone else in the house to leave and they complied.
The allegations further state that Mureka remained alone with the victim and instructed her to undress and to squat in a dish with milk claiming it was for cleansing purposes. Mureka is alleged to have started repeatedly “bathing” the victim before he inserted his fingers inside her privates.
He is also alleged to have opened the victim’s thighs apart and started blowing air into her private parts. The victim, who appeared traumatised, reportedly alerted her parents about the ordeal. They then filed a police report, leading to Mureka’s arrest and subsequent appearance in court.