Mutare prophet up for indecent assault

A 45-year-old self-styled Mutare prophet has been taken to court over indecent assault charges after he allegedly touched a female congregant's privates during a cleansing session.

Steven Saruwaka admitted the charge when he appeared before Mutare magistrate Perseverence Makhala last Friday.

Prosecutor Mathew Chimutunga said on April 7, 2018 the complainant who is not named in the State papers visited Madzibaba Saruwaka's shrine with her sister to seek deliverance.

The complainant and her sister were told to buy a clay pot, milk and packet of rice to be used during the deliverance session.

On the same day the complainant returned to the shrine with the items.

Upon arriving at the shrine, she was told to wait in the bush and the complainant complied.

The accused then followed the complainant and said he wanted to remove some evil spirits on the complainant's body and started to touch the complainant from the head, shoulders downwards.

Saruwaka then went on to put his hands on the complainant's private parts.

The complainant screamed and ordered Saruwaka to stop before she fled and reported the matter to police.