A self-styled prophetess from Kutenda kwaJehovha Apostolic church has been arrested for ordering the exhumation of the body a three-month old baby in Madziwa whom she claimed would resurrect after her prayers.
Pelagia Chingwena (35) ordered the reburial of the body after
her prayers and rituals came to nought.
Mashonaland Central police spokesperson Assistant Inspector
Naison Dhliwayo said the bishop of the church Tamuka Chiboiwa (43), the
Chingwena, the deceased’s parents and church members gathered and prayed for the
corpse the whole night.
The baby died at around 3am on November 16.
“Soon after the baby’s death, a message was sent to
Chiboiwa of Musiiwa village under Chief Mutumba in Madziwa.
“He contacted Chingwena of the same village who started
praying and speaking in tongues,” said Ass Insp Dhliwayo.
“She claimed to the bishop that the baby was not dead.
Chiboiwa immediately contacted the deceased’s parents advising them not to bury
the baby until they arrived.”
The bishop, prophetess and other congregants went to Arda
Farm and arrived at 4pm only to find the baby already buried.
Ass Insp Dhliwaypo said the prophetess started praying and
fell into a trance before ordering church elders to exhume the corpse insisting
that the baby was alive.
It is reported that the body was taken home and the
prophetess spent the whole night trying to resurrect the baby, but she failed.
The body was reburied on November 17 at around 10am. The
same day, ZRP Mvurwi was informed that a body was exhumed at Arda Farm in
Mvurwi.
Police went to the homestead of the father Robson Mutazu
and found the body reburied.
Investigations revealed that the baby Chipo Mutazu had
passed away the previous day.
Chingwena, Maria Chirata (61) and Esteli Chitsamba (41)
were arrested for violating a grave and body in contravention of Section 110
and 111 of Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act.
Ass Insp Dhliwayo warned people against exhuming bodies
unlawfully. Herald
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