adminHarare Bureau
JOHANE Masowe eChishanhu sect fugitive leader, Madzibaba Ishmael Chokurongerwa, whose followers attacked police officers, journalists and officials last year in Budiriro, Harare, was arrested in Murewa yesterday. Madzibaba Ishmael has been hiding for nearly seven months in Murewa at his colleagues’ shrines and his relatives’ houses in various areas.
Chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba yesterday confirmed the arrest.
“The ZRP would like to confirm the arrest of Ishmael Chokurongerwa, 43, alias Madzibaba Ishmael in Murehwa on January 2, 2015. Chokurongerwa, a wanted person, was on the run from May 29, 2014 to January 1, 2015.
“He is facing Public Violence and Children’s Protection Act charges in connection with events that occurred at the Johane Masowe eChishanu Budiriro shrine where police officers and a ZBC cameraman were assaulted and injured,” she said.
He was yesterday transferred from Murewa to Harare for further investigations.
Meanwhile, police successfully made an application for a warrant of further detention for Madzibaba Ishmael to Monday. The application was made before Magistrate Milton Serima in his chambers.
Police said the reason for their application is that valuable time was lost yesterday through travelling as he had to be transferred from Murewa to Harare and that warranted further detention.
According to Section 50 of the Constitution, an acused person must appear before a competent court within 48 hours of arrest. Therefore police had to make the application as they realised they could not meet the 48-hour-deadline.
Madzibaba Ishmael was believed to be hiding at an area known as PaCross in Murewa where he comes from.
He had been shuttling between his relatives’ houses in Murewa and elsewhere.
Members of the Johane Masowe eChishanu apostolic sect attacked police officers in riot gear, journalists and members of the Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe at their shrine.
This was after ACCZ president Archbishop Johannes Ndanga announced that the sect had been banned from operating in Zimbabwe because it violated national and Christian laws.
There were allegations of widespread abuse of women in the sect, with children barred from attending conventional schools.
When they arrived at the shrine, Archbishop Ndanga, the court heard, delivered his address while the gathering sang and challenged him to speak in Shona, arguing they were not conversant in English.
Archbishop Ndanga then told the police to arrest a congregant who was constantly heckling him.
In protest, other congregants started singing a song called: “Umambo Hwepfumo Neropa,” a tune that incited the worshippers to assault the delegation using shepherd’s staffs and stones.
In November, 11 members of the Johane Masowe eChishanu jailed recently for the assault appealed against their four-year sentence.
They filed their notice of appeal against conviction and sentence before Harare magistrate Tendai Mahwe.
The 11 are Kudzanayi Kusekwa ,31, Cabson Chandaona, 43, Tichafa Madyegora, 41, Johannes Makumbe, 39, Takavengwa Gwenzi, 46, Ndumiso Moyo, 33, Alexio Kanhema, 37, Clement Chimutso, 47, Madzimure Madzimure, 36, Charles Matanga, 42, and Darlington Mambayo, 46.
They were sentenced to an effective four years in prison each after they were found guilty of assault.
They were initially sentenced to five years in prison, but one year was suspended for five years.
The other 26 sect members were acquitted after the State failed to prove a case against them.
Online Reporter