ZCC bishop flogs two congregants, one dies during ‘healing’ session

Thupeyo Muleya

Beitbridge Bureau

A 36-year-old ZCC Damsko bishop has been convicted for flogging and killing a church congregant after claiming that she and her husband were mentally ill.

The woman died due to the injuries she sustained while her husband sustained severe injuries.

Crispen Gomori of Limpopo View in Beitbridge was convicted on Tuesday after appearing before Beitbridge resident magistrate, Mr Takudzwa Gwazemba.

Gomori said he administered seven strokes on his male victim as a way of ‘healing’ him as he was ‘losing his mind’.

In his defence, Gomori had argued that the couple agreed to the flogging since they are members of his church.

In aggravation, the State led by Mr Tawanda Chigavazira argued that even if the couple had agreed to being flogged, the assault was severe.

However, for the assault charge Gomori was cautioned and discharged after the court felt that he had suffered a misconception of religious laws.

The court heard that on March 6, 2023, at around 12 pm, the complainant and his wife went to church.

Upon arrival at the shrine, fellow congregants were instructed by Gomori to shackle the complainant and his wife to a tree with chains.

Gomori was claiming that the two were mentally ill.

The complainant and his wife spent the whole night tied to the tree until 8pm the next day when Gomori started assaulting them with a leather whip until the woman died at 4am.

Upon realising that the woman had died, Gomori fled from the shrine.

A police report was made, leading to Gomori’s arrest.

His male victim was taken to Beitbridge District Hospital for treatment while the woman’s body was taken to the same hospital for a post-mortem.