Mugabe 'death pastor' attacks State

Kariba cleric Patrick Philip Mugadza on Thursday castigated the State for intervening in matters of religious differences, saying its attitude was patently unfair for choosing one belief system over another.

Mugadza prophesied that President Robert Mugabe would die on October 17 this year.

In his application for referral to the Constitutional Court, Mugadza said the State was breaching a constitutional right to equal protection and freedom from discrimination.

Mugadza further said he had not in his utterances incited violence or spoken hatred or hate speech or maliciously injured anyone's reputation or dignity or maliciously breached anyone's privacy, yet the criminal law was still used to target him for expressing his sincere belief.

He further made reference to King Hezekiah in the Bible, saying he was ill and Isaiah prophesied that he would die. Mugadza said King Hezekiah prayed and the Lord God added 15 more years to his life.

He said his own prophecy was no different as it was also a call to Mugabe to turn to God.

Mugadza said he was not necessarily elated at the message of someone's impending death, but was bound by his belief and duty to share the message sent to him by God.

However, the State elected to file a written response to the application on May 12 and magistrate Nomsa Sabarauta will make her ruling on May 18.

The State alleges Mugadza's prophecy insulted the Christian religion and African tradition by uttering words which are taboo in predicting someone's death.

Venetia Matake appeared for the State while Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights members David Hofisi, Gift Mtisi and Dorcas Chitiyo are representing the Kariba cleric.