Online Reporter
Patrick Chitumba
[email protected]
A 25-year-old self-proclaimed prophet from Gweru’s Mkoba 4 suburb has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after being convicted of raping a 22-year-old domestic worker in a bushy area near Mkoba Cemetery.
Appearing before Gweru Regional Magistrate Mrs Sibongile Marondedze facing one count of rape was Tawanda Shumba of Gweru who is a self-styled prophet.
Shumba pleaded not guilty to rape but was convicted after a full trial.
The court found that Shumba had abused his position of spiritual trust to exploit a vulnerable person seeking help.
Mrs Marondedze handed him a 15 year prison stay.
Prosecutor, Mr Sibangani Dube said on June 4, Shumba, met the complainant around 9am at Nyenyedzi Nomwe Shrine at the Golf Course in Mkoba 4 where she wanted to seek spiritual help.
The court heard that Shumba then prayed for her and claimed she had a spirit, which causes men to lose interest in her.
Shumba, the court heard, went on to state that someone had taken the complainant’s panties and used it for ritual purposes.
Mr Dube said Shumba then told complainant that if she wanted the spirit to stay away from her, she had to accompany him to the bush, where he had to set fire and strongly pray against it.
At around 11am, they proceeded to the bush behind Mkoba Cemetery together with complainant’s employer’s two years old son who was being carried by the complainant.
Mr Dube said upon arrival, Shumba told the complainant to leave the child a few meters away before the cleansing started. The accused spread a purple cloth on the ground, and the complainant went in front of the accused and knelt down.
Shumba gave the complainant some rapoko grains and asked her totem. The court heard that Shumba poured some rapoko grains, which were in the clay plate on complainant’s head whilst praying.
Mr Dube said Shumba instructed the complainant to remove her panties and put it in clay plate, but she refused and the accused told her that this was the only way to remove the spirit from her.
The complainant hesitated and told the accused that she wanted to remove her panties away from his sight but the accused told her to remain calm and remove it in his sight.
The complainant then removed her undergarments and put them inside the clay plate. The court heard that Shumba then instructed the complainant to lie down on the purple cloth on her back.
Shumba removed his black trouser, pulled up the complainant’s skirt, mounted on her top and raped her once.
After the rape, he instructed the complainant to take her undergarments from the clay plate and put it on a tree and the complainant complied. Shumba then told the complainant to walk away without looking back, which she did and took the child.
On the way before reaching the shrine the complainant demanded for her bag and told the accused that she wanted to go home.
The court heard that Shumba emphasized that the complainant had to go to the shrine where he wanted to pour her some water and she refused. She took her bag and went on to tell her employer about her ordeal.
The matter was reported to the police leading to the arrest of Shumba.
