(Last Updated on November 6, 2014 by Editor)
ZIMBABWE – THE matter in which members of the apostolic church sect led by Madzibaba Ishmael are facing allegations of assaulting police officers, members of Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe led by Johannes Ndanga and some journalist has been deferred.
The State led by Francesca Mukumbiri applied that the matter be set for Monday since the magistrate handling the matter was not available. Magistrate Milton Serima postponed the matter.
They all denied the charges although some witnesses, including journalists, managed to positively identify their alleged attackers during the trial.
Allegations are that on May 30 around 11:30hours, ACCZ president Bishop Johannes Ndanga, his delegation, 26 cops from ZRP Budiriro and the Police Reaction Group went to Johannes Madzibaba Ishmael’s shrine at Budiriro 2 Park. Reports were that Bishop Ndanga and his delegation wanted to address the sect members over issues of denying their children from attending school among other issues.
It was said that as Bishop Ndanga was reading out the document, the sect members told him to speak in Shona, saying they did not understand the language he was using. Bishop Ndanga is also said to have ordered the cops to arrest one member who was interjecting him as he was reading the document.
At that moment, it is alleged that members then started singing a song called “Umambo hwepfumo neropa” and the whole congregants then got up and started charging towards Bishop Ndanga, his delegation, cops and journalists. All the male congregants were armed with sticks about a metre long, it is alleged. It was also said that he also joined other members in the attack