A man who identifies as a prophet from Filabusi has been arrested on serious allegations involving a 16-year-old girl, his niece, during what was presented as a healing ritual. He appeared briefly before Gwanda regional magistrate Mrs. Sithembiso Ndebele, facing two charges of rap3, but was not required to enter a plea at this stage. He remains in custody until a hearing scheduled for September 9.
The prosecution states that on July 10, the teenager visited the prophet’s home with her grandmother for a cleansing ceremony aimed at relieving her abdominal pain and headache. The prophet asked the grandmother to leave, assuring her that female assistants would attend to the girl during the ritual.
Later that evening, the prophet took the girl to a nearby bush and bathed her with a traditional mixture. Upon returning, he instructed her to sleep unclothed under the blankets to allow the treatment to take effect. He left, promising to return at midnight to complete the cleansing.
At midnight, the prophet allegedly returned and insisted that s3xual intercourse was necessary to fully remove the illness. Despite the girl’s protests, he forced himself on her twice. He threatened her not to disclose the incident or seek medical help, warning that she would suffer serious illness or death if she did.
The next day, the girl complained of pain to her grandmother, who then questioned her. The teenager disclosed the incident, leading to a police report and the prophet’s arrest.
This case underscores the serious breach of trust and exploitation of spiritual authority, emphasizing the critical need to protect vulnerable individuals from abuse disguised as healing.
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