'Jesus' nabbed after threatening to kill prominent businessman

A BULAWAYO man who caused a stir early this year after he claimed to be "Jesus" was on Saturday arrested for allegedly threatening to kill a prominent businessman who refused to give him money.

Abdulla Ncube allegedly went to the businessman's clothing shop in the afternoon where he threatened him with death if he did not give him the undisclosed amount of money.

"The owner of the shop phoned the police after the man became aggressive," a source said.

"He was arrested and taken to Bulawayo Central Police where he was detained."

A police source said Ncube was detained on suspicion of being a mental patient and was set to walk free after the businessman chose not to make a formal report.

"He is just a mentally challenged person," a police officer said. "He's going to be released since the complainant did not make a formal report."

Bulawayo police said they had not received any information about the arrest.

Ncube, alias Jesus, once caused a stir at The Chronicle building in Bulawayo in January after he threatened to "kill all journalists" after he had stormed the newspaper' newsroom.

This was after he caused a stir at Basch Street Terminus, popularly known as Egodini, after he was caught carrying a live snake and claiming to be the
Biblical Moses.

Business came to a standstill at the busy commuter omnibus terminus when one of the vendors noticed the head of a snake protruding from a satchel Ncube was carrying as he preached.

After killing the snake, some of the vendors are said to have taunted the man to resurrect the snake since he was claiming to be the "Biblical Moses".