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Luthando Mapepa
Chipinge Correspondent
CONTROVERSY and a self-styled Chipinge prophet are inseparable.
Lawrence Dhukuza of Christ Life Church who was jailed six months in March for drugging and unlawfully detaining a minor girl at his homestead was recently caught stark naked while trying to perform some rituals at Clearwater Estate.
Dhukuza who was recently released from prison under the Presidential Amnesty allegedly caused a stir at Clearwater Estate when he was apprehended by the company’s security officers while on his way to the factory offices in his birthday suit.
Dhukuza is currently nursing wounds at his home after he got seriously injured on his private parts as he tried to scale-up a security fence in a bid to escape from the security officers.
A security detail who declined to be named said Dhukuza wanted to perform some rituals at the Clearwater Estate offices.
“It was around midnight last week on Saturday when we saw the prophet at the company premises while naked. We advanced towards him, but he ran away towards Clearwater Clinic. He scaled-up the fence, trying to escape, but sustained serious injuries on his private parts.
“We finally arrested and interrogated him. He did not disclose the name of the person who had sent him to the estate to perform the rituals. We handed him over to the police at Mabheka Police Base,” said the source.
Repeated efforts to get a comment from Dhukuza proved fruitless as he was not picking up calls.
Contacted for comment, Village Head Mwandega, born Albert Bvaranga, confirmed the incident and said Dhukuza had been summoned to appear before Chief Mutema’s court last Saturday.
“He is now a bad apple in our community. In March, the community staged a demonstration against him for allegedly dabbling in acts of wizardry at Clearwater Primary School. He was accused of initiating children into Satanism.
“We have now engaged Chief Mutema to address this contentious issue. We hope the chief will proffer a permanent solution to this,” said Village Head Mwandega.
In February, the Village Head handed Dhukuza over to the police as he was facing some kidnapping charges.
Dhukuza was convicted and sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, of which six months were set aside on condition of good behaviour.
Prosecuting during his trial in March, Mrs Deliya Khataziye said on March 11, the complainant (a 14-year old girl) and two elderly relatives went to Dhukuza’s shrine to visit the complainant’s brother who was not feeling well and staying there.
While at the shrine, Dhukuza told the complainant’s relatives that the girl was possessed by evil spirits and needed deliverance.
The minor’s relatives then left her at Dhukuza’s shrine and returned home.
The complainant’s mother later went to the shrine intending to collect her daughter, but she was barred from doing so.
Repeated efforts to collect the minor were unsuccessful.
Dhukuza then took the minor to his homestead and locked her up in a room.
The matter was reported to the police, thereby leading to his arrest.
Online Reporter