Six months after showing up at an Apostolic Sect service in Manicaland President Robert Mugabe pardoned a self proclaimed prophet who was jailed in 2003 for 32 years on seven counts of rape.
Madzibaba Godfrey Nzira, one of the Johane Masowe WeChishanu Apostolic Church leaders, walked out of prison a free man last week thanks to a controversial presidential pardon from Mugabe.
The serial rapist was released on ‘compassionate grounds’ owing to poor health. Harare based journalist Gift Phiri told London based SW Radio Africa that Nzira travelled to his shrine in Chitungwiza on Thursday in the company of about four of his wives.
In 2002 Madzibaba Nzira hit the campaign trail in support of Mugabe’s presidential bid. That year he claimed Mugabe was a “divinely appointed king of Zimbabwe and no man should dare challenge his office.” His bootlicking of the regime was not enough to save him from his conviction.
The day Nzira was convicted, 2000 members of his sect went ballistic outside the court, beating up court officials and policemen on duty. Even the magistrate is said to have narrowly escaped death when they pounced on her.
In December 2009 a court slashed his 32 year jail term by 12 years leaving him to serve only 20 years. He now has only served about 7 years of that sentence. Nzira was accused of raping several women followers from his sect after they came to him for spiritual healing.
His release by Mugabe via the Ministry of Justice raised suspicion that the ZANU PF leader is bidding to woo support from Nzira’s mulitude of followers ahead of possible elections. Additional reporting by SW Radio Africa
