Vapositori attack senior cop at shrine… 5 members arrested

A police chief superintendent was attacked and seriously injured by members of the Johane Masowe Apostolic Sect in Mashonaland Central Province after he was accused of trespassing on their shrine over the weekend.

The senior officer, whose name is being withheld, is believed to have gone to visit his father near the shrine when the incident occurred.

He sustained serious injuries and was taken to a hospital for treatment. Police have since arrested five members from the apostolic sect in connection with the incident.

In 2014 at least 25 members of the Madzibaba Ishameal Mufani Johane Masowe Church were arrested for assaulting police officers and journalists.

This was after Apostolic Christian Council president Johannes Ndanga — who was in the company of about 20 anti-riot police officers — told the sect members at their holy shrine that he had banned the church for abusing women and girls among other things.

Three police officers were seriously injured while three others escaped with minor injuries.

A ZBC photographer, who tried to film the incident, was also clobbered by the marauding congregants using their shepherd’s crooks. Windows of a ZBC van were also smashed in the stand-off between the sect members and the police in 2014.