News / Local
'Penis' prophet gets a 17 year jail term for rape
17 May 2014 at 12:47hrs | Views
A SELF proclaimed prophet who claimed God sent him to heal women with his penis has been sentenced to 17 years in prison for raping his married neighbour.
Lungile Ncube, 32, of Worringham in Bulawayo lured his victim into believing that he received a vision on how to cure her of stomach pains by having sex with her.
In passing sentence, Bulawayo regional magistrate Sikhumbuzo Nyathi said cases of sexual abuse by prophets and church leaders had become a cause for concern and culprits deserved lengthy jail terms.
"It is aggravating that the accused abused his position of trust over a complainant who was his usual client and close neighbour.
"The courts have on numerous occasions come across unscrupulous prophets and church leaders who abuse women and girls who come to them for help and will not hesitate to give such people lengthy jail sentences to keep them away from society," said Nyathi.
Ncube was sentenced to 17 years imprisonment, three of which were suspended for five years on condition that the he does not commit a similar offence.
Nyathi made reference to the infamous jailed cleric Robert Gumbura who is serving a 40 year jail term over a string of rape cases.
"Women face a number of challenges and turn to spiritual healers for help but it is saddening that some of them have fallen prey to dishonest prophets who abuse them," Nyathi said.
He said what was disturbing was that most women do not report rape cases because of the stigma attached to it.
"Society stigmatises them but reporting such people will help remove these rogue characters from the community," saisd Nyathi.
Prosecuting, Masimba Saruwaka, told the court how on January 28, shortly after 7PM, Ncube called the woman to his house and claimed to be a prophet who had received a vision about her stomach pains.
He went on to counsel the woman, telling her that he could help as his vision came with a solution and she believed him.
Ncube then ordered her to drink warm water with salt and she also complied.
She was later told to take off her clothes and was given a blanket to cover her body.
After a few minutes, Ncube returned with a bucket containing a mixture of soil and water and ordered the woman to lie down.
He smeared the mud on her breasts and went on to smear her hips and in the middle of the act, he raped the woman once.
"When she asked what he was doing, Ncube told the woman that it was part of the healing to have sex with her as instructed in his vision and added that she was lucky as sometimes he had to continue with the act till she reaches climax," said Saruwaka.
In mitigation, Ncube who was employed as a farm worker, pleaded for a lesser sentence saying he was a widower with two children aged seven and 10.
He told the court that he was a bread winner and his aged mother could not afford to send the children to school
Lungile Ncube, 32, of Worringham in Bulawayo lured his victim into believing that he received a vision on how to cure her of stomach pains by having sex with her.
In passing sentence, Bulawayo regional magistrate Sikhumbuzo Nyathi said cases of sexual abuse by prophets and church leaders had become a cause for concern and culprits deserved lengthy jail terms.
"It is aggravating that the accused abused his position of trust over a complainant who was his usual client and close neighbour.
"The courts have on numerous occasions come across unscrupulous prophets and church leaders who abuse women and girls who come to them for help and will not hesitate to give such people lengthy jail sentences to keep them away from society," said Nyathi.
Ncube was sentenced to 17 years imprisonment, three of which were suspended for five years on condition that the he does not commit a similar offence.
Nyathi made reference to the infamous jailed cleric Robert Gumbura who is serving a 40 year jail term over a string of rape cases.
"Women face a number of challenges and turn to spiritual healers for help but it is saddening that some of them have fallen prey to dishonest prophets who abuse them," Nyathi said.
He said what was disturbing was that most women do not report rape cases because of the stigma attached to it.
"Society stigmatises them but reporting such people will help remove these rogue characters from the community," saisd Nyathi.
Prosecuting, Masimba Saruwaka, told the court how on January 28, shortly after 7PM, Ncube called the woman to his house and claimed to be a prophet who had received a vision about her stomach pains.
He went on to counsel the woman, telling her that he could help as his vision came with a solution and she believed him.
Ncube then ordered her to drink warm water with salt and she also complied.
She was later told to take off her clothes and was given a blanket to cover her body.
After a few minutes, Ncube returned with a bucket containing a mixture of soil and water and ordered the woman to lie down.
He smeared the mud on her breasts and went on to smear her hips and in the middle of the act, he raped the woman once.
"When she asked what he was doing, Ncube told the woman that it was part of the healing to have sex with her as instructed in his vision and added that she was lucky as sometimes he had to continue with the act till she reaches climax," said Saruwaka.
In mitigation, Ncube who was employed as a farm worker, pleaded for a lesser sentence saying he was a widower with two children aged seven and 10.
He told the court that he was a bread winner and his aged mother could not afford to send the children to school
Source - chronicle
