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The bogus prophet’s accomplices are the two villagers who reportedly hired him to conduct a cleansing ceremony.

The accused, Ngonidzashe Madyokuwa (31) of Mbulawa village under Chief Masunda was yesterday arraigned before Zvishavane magistrate Mr Story Rushabwa facing charges of indecent assault.

He was convicted and subsequently sentenced on the same day to eight months in prison. The eight months were wholly suspended on condition that Madyokuwa does not commit a similar offence within the next five years.

His co-accused, Seluna Dube (56) and Dumasile Moyo (31) also of Mbulawa village were both fined $100 each ( or two months in prison). The State case presented by Mr Man’ombe was that on 24 April last year, Moyo and Dube hired  the bogus prophet, Madyokuwa to conduct a cleansing ceremony after they accused three fellow villagers, Mrs Rener Chingocha (57), Mrs Tsvakai Hungwe (51) and Mrs Nyemu Moyo (61)
of practicing witchcraft.

The villagers were then called to a gathering where Madyokuwa told them  that Mrs Hungwe changed into a snake at night. He told the same gathering that Mrs Moyo’s legs were swollen because she was spending the greater part of the nights moving from one grave to the other in search of human flesh.

Madyokuwa accused Mrs Chingocha of possessing a goblin which he said she used to kill fellow family members and other villagers. After the accusations, Madyokuwa ordered the three complainants to remove their blouses exposing their bodies to the public. He then claimed that invisible marks on their breasts were meant to give them strength in their evil works.

Madyokuwa also ordered Dube and Moyo to take razor blades and remove the women’s alleged markings on their breasts. He said Dube and Moyo went on to comply with the orders despite not seeing the alleged marks.

The court heard that Madyokuwa assured the two that he would make the marks on the women’s breasts visible. The whole act did not go down well with the three complainants who later made a report to the police leading to the arrest of the accused persons.-Chronicle