via Cops hunt sect leader – NewsDay Zimbabwe June 2, 2014 by Everson Mushava
POLICE yesterday vowed to track down and arrest the leader of the Johane Masowe weChishanu sect Madzibaba Ishmael Mufani and his followers following last Friday’s violent clashes which saw several police officers and journalists injured during a raid at his shrine in Budiriro, Harare.
Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe (ACCZ) officials were not spared the battering which ironically was carried out using the shepherd’s rods as the sect members fiercely resisted plans by the Johannes Ndanga-led ACCZ’s executive to ban their church over alleged gross child abuse, among other things.
National police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said they had deployed heavily in the high-density suburb to flush out the suspects and bring them to book.
“We are still looking for him (Madzibaba Ishmael). We have intensified our investigations. So far we have arrested six in connection with the violence,” Charamba said.
The police clampdown came as Ndanga’s team threatened to demolish all artefacts at the sect’s shrine and declare it a no-go area.
Violence broke out after police escorted Ndanga and his team to announce the banishment of the sect.
Among other allegations, the sect leaders were accused of dipping their fingers into their daughter’s private parts to test for virginity, marrying them off at a tender age and denying them formal education.
Ndanga yesterday said Madzibaba Ishmael had since deserted his home as the police intensified their manhunt.
“The place they use to do their gatherings is not theirs. They have never requested it from (Harare city) council. We are negotiating with council that the place be allocated for other purposes,” Ndanga said.
He said he had tried to negotiate with Madzibaba Ishmael since June last year after receiving reports of ungodly practices, but to no avail.
“We summoned him three times and at each meeting, he promised to stop the human violations, but never did so. Last Wednesday, we had a multisectoral meeting including the Ministry of Education, Victim Friendly, Musasa Project, other churches and various other stakeholders and decided that the church be banned,” Ndanga said.
“Other Johane Masowe weChishanu groups disassociated themselves from the group.”
He said the decision to ban the sect was a collective one involving his organisation, women and child rights groups, among them Musasa Project.
“When they attacked the police, they were singing ungodly songs. They do not even read the Bible, Ishmael is their Bible. They do not allow use of cellphones, radios, televisions and other modern electrical gadgets,” he said.
The ACCZ played an instrumental role in the probe and arrest of jailed RMG Independent End Time Message Church leader Robert Martin Gumbura.
Gumbura was eventually convicted for raping several congregants and is currently serving an effective 40-year-jail term after the courts quashed his bail bids.
After Gumbura was jailed, the ACCZ ordered the church leaders to review their doctrine, effect leadership renewal and rename the church before they are allowed to resume their church gatherings.
COMMENTS
It is alleged the sect done child abuse ? It is well-known common knowledge that chiyangwa mliswa kaukonde matiza katikoga kaseke kasukuwere mandiwanzira makandiwa chinotimba kereke – the list of zanoid child rapists goes on and on – enjoy this hobby but we don’t see chihuris zrp criminals chasing them !!!!!!!!!!!! Anyway it is great seeing the cowardly war vet infested zrp being given such a good hiding. Take to the streets barricades and see zrp running to mommy
vakomana vanhu vaMwari siyanai navo vana Makandiwa avo unozvitsvagira kutukwa
I dont condone abuse of children in any form. I believe if there where grounds to suspect the sect of violating children the idiots at ZRP should have investigated these as directed by their protocols and charges brought up against perpetrators. The law should have been allowed to take its course. Simple.
It says a lot about the calibre and mentality of the goons who kitted up in armour and their bosses who sanctioned this raid on the sect. Who is Ndanga? what authority does he have to meddle in police business anyway?But ZRP have become tools with which a lot of Government officials mop up their own dirty work. They have allowed themselves to be used as nothing but glorified thugs at the beck and call of so called chefs.Its their own fault that they have lost all respect from the ordinary people. I wouldnt put it past the corrupt thieves to have received some money for this job.
Anywhere else in the world the ZRP would get a ticking off for such an unprofessional approach to duty. But in Zim they are so lucky to have Charity the viscious hound dog protecting them.
there seems to be a plot against the budiriro vapositiro, the issues raised by ndanga are based on hear say and they are far from the truth. for starters ndangas org is not a legal body in terms of the chapter 8 institutions in the countrys constitution and for God’s sake who gave Ndanga the powers to ban churches coz in our constitution thers freedom of religion as such everyone is entitled to follow their own beliefs. the bottom line s Ndanga has no case against the vapositiro thts why he’s flip flopping it’s not a must tht everyone must read the bible n fo interest sake hu came with the bible damn whites. please refer to house of hunger by marechera n l quote bloody missionaries wen they came they had the bible n we had the land n nw we have the bible n they have the land.
for interest sake Ndanga ngaaende kwa marange wer its common knowledge that girls are married off at a tender age tione kuti anodzoka here.
Ndanga warwafziwa nei pakusa shandisa cellular kana radio kwevapositori ndiwe ani chaizvo
you have said the truth,unfortunately Zimbabwe is nologer governed by the constitution but they are following their noms.lmhondi dzavanhu.
Guys, if your definition of freedom to religion as laid down by the constitution is allowing cults to operate freely in Zimbabwe, then I don’t subscribe to that constitution at all. I’m fully behind Ndanga coz someone has to be in a position to lead the Christian organisation he represents. If you want to ban radio and television to people who believe you, fine, but not under the name of Jesus Christ. That’s where Ndanga comes in.
Child abuse should not be condoned at any level,perpetrators must be dealt with accordingly.There is nowhere in these articles that says,police investigated the allegations,which means they took Ndanga s word for it.Police could be unwittingly been used to settle Leadership squabbles in these Churches,the fact that they went armed to worshippers means they went there to do what they have been doing to Zimbabweans for years,brutalise.People are tired of these tyranic tendencies by Police so they will fight back and defend themselves,knowing fully well they could pay the ultimate price
Mapurisa sungai vanhu vanorepa vana vadiki. Ehe zvimwewo munokanganisa asi arrest all those who commit rape in whatever form.
Izinto zamashona bakithi!