Mapostori trio fails to produce IDs in court

By Tendai Rupapa

Courts will have a hard time determining the actual names and ages of the arrested apostolic sect members who allegedly assaulted rivals, police and journalists in Budiriro, Harare, last Friday because their doctrine barred them from having identification documents.

This emerged in court yesterday as Harare provincial magistrate Mr Vakayi Chikwekwe denied bail to Milton Murinda who gave his age as 38, Dennis Banda who said he was 16 and John Mutasa who claimed to be 40.

The trio belongs to the Johanne Masowe eChishanu Apostolic sect led by Madzibaba Ishmael Mufani, who is on the run.

Murinda, Banda and Mutasa were charged with public violence and remanded in custody to June 16.

Prosecutor Mr Michael Reza said the three did not have identity cards.

“So, your worship we might be having Milton (Banda) in court, but maybe that is not his name and age,” he said.

“They do not have documentary evidence to show their identity because the practice at their church is that when a person joins, his/her identification card is burnt because they say it is linked to ancestors and ancestral worshipping.”

Mr Reza said the apostolic sect members still had axes to grind with the Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe and the police.

“The ACCZ deregistered their church, so if granted bail there is a likelihood that they will assault everyone with shoes, especially police officers. They seem to have unfinished business with them.”

In denying the trio bail, Mr Chikwekwe said they faced serious charges which on conviction could lead to prison terms and this could make them flee.

He added that their situation was compounded by the fact that they did not have identification particulars.

In response, the accused — who were not represented — said they did not assault anyone.

Mutasa said on that day he was not at the shrine and had visited a friend, while Murinda said he had an identity card at home and was of fixed abode.

Mr Reza alleged that apart from the assaults, the apostolic sect members damaged property, including a Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation truck. The damaged property was valued at US$1 350.

He said at around 11am on May 30, ACCZ president Bishop Johannes Ndanga, his delegation and 26 police officers went to Mufani’s sect to address the gathering over issues of denying children education and other matters.

Bishop Ndanga, the court heard, delivered his address while the gathering sang and challenged him to speak in Shona, arguing they were not conversant with English.

Bishop Ndanga then told the police to arrest a congregant who was interjecting.

In protest, other congregants started singing an inciting song called “Umambo wepfumo neropa” and the trio and their accomplices allegedly used knobkerries and stones to assault the delegation.

Nine police officers and two journalists, Relax Mafurutu and Tichaona Meza, sustained head injuries and bruises all over their bodies.

ACCZ member Langton Muchena also sustained serious injuries. The Herald