A 25-year-old self-proclaimed prophet from Mkoba 4, Gweru, has been jailed for 15 years for raping a woman who had visited his shrine seeking spiritual help.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) confirmed the sentence on Wednesday, saying the man was convicted after using “spiritual manipulation and fear tactics” to exploit a vulnerable client.
The court heard the attack happened on 4 June at the Nyenyedzi Nomwe Shrine in Mkoba 4. The complainant, a 22-year-old woman, had gone to the shrine for prayers. She was carrying her employer’s two-year-old son at the time.
The prophet prayed for her and told her she was possessed by a spirit that was driving men away. He claimed someone had stolen her underwear for ritual purposes and said the only cure was a “cleansing” prayer involving fire in a nearby bush.
Trusting the advice, the woman followed him to a secluded spot behind Mkoba Cemetery. Prosecutors said the man ordered her to leave the toddler a few metres away, then performed a ritual using rapoko grain and a clay plate, known locally as mbiya or udiwo.
Under the guise of healing, he coerced her into removing her undergarments and lying down. He then raped her.
The NPA said the woman managed to get away immediately afterwards and told her employer what had happened.
The employer urged her to go to the police, and a report was filed the same day at ZRP Mkoba. Officers arrested the prophet, leading to his conviction and 15-year sentence.
Prosecutors did not name the offender, in line with standard practice in sexual offence cases where the focus remains on the survivor.
The case is the latest in a series of convictions in the country involving self-styled prophets accused of sexual abuse during so-called deliverance sessions.
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