adminMarvelous Moyo Gwanda Correspondent
A GWANDA prophet recently sold out his stocktheft client to the police after he had asked for prayers to conceal the crime, a court heard yesterday.Tadious Sibanda, a prophet based in Buvuma area told Gwanda magistrate Sheila Nazombe that Reason Ncube, 33, of Tshanyaugwe area visited his shrine seeking prayers that could save him from the long arm of the law.
“Your worship, this accused person came to my shrine for prayers and revealed to me that he had stolen 11 beasts and was spotted by someone who knew him driving the stolen animals hence wanted my help in the form of prayers to cover him up.
“He said he needed some imthandazo to cleanse him and protect him from police. I then told him to go and look for some items that I said would be needed to cleanse him and told him to come the following day. He trusted me because I had been helping his girlfriend with prayers,” said Sibanda.
The prophet said he immediately informed the police about the issue and tipped them that Ncube was to return for the “cleansing”.
“The accused came back as agreed with the hope that I will help him conceal the truth but unfortunately police pounced on him when he was washing his hands with what he thought was a concoction to cleanse him,” he said.
Although Ncube admitted visiting the prophet and his subsequent arrest at his shrine, he denied ever talking to Sibanda about cattle.
“This prophet had been helping my girlfriend with prayers so I just went to his shrine to collect some things for my girlfriend. I know nothing about the cattle in question,” he said.
Ncube was remanded in custody to July 21.
Prosecutor Gertrude Zvidzai said that last month, Ncube stole 11 cattle belonging to Albert Tlou, 54, of Jonsley Resettlement in West Nicholson.
“On the same day at around 9PM, some villagers at Zendele area spotted the accused driving the herd of cattle in question heading towards Selonga area. They informed Nelson Dube, a member of the neighbourhood watch committee and they traced the accused but they failed to locate him,” said Zvidzai.
Dube made a report to the police the following day but on his way back to the village, he spotted Ncube driving the 11 cattle at Tibeli area, stopped him but he ran away.
Ncube was arrested the following day at the prophet’s shrine.
Online Reporter