Police offer reward for Madzibaba

Wanted Johanne Masowe eChishanhu sect leader, Madzibaba Ishmael Mufani, is said to have skipped the country for Mozambique as police intensified the manhunt by offering a monetary reward for his arrest.

The offer came barely a few hours after 24 members of his sect appeared in court yesterday under the watchful eye of armed police officers, facing allegations of public violence. They were remanded in custody to June 16.

Although the amount of money placed on Madzibaba Ishmael's head was yet to be released by the Apostolic Church Council of Zimbabwe (ACCZ), The Zimbabwe Mail is reliably informed that anyone leading to his arrest would be handsomely rewarded.

"Police are hunting for the church leader who has also fled his home and there is a reward," ACCZ head Johannes Ndanga said.

Police sources close to the investigations said information gathered so far showed the prophet had skipped the country after law enforcement agents laid siege on his church after the attack on journalists and the police last Friday

"We understand he has crossed the country's borders, but if we get hold of him, he will regret the day he decided to form a church," said a police source.

National Police spokesperson Charity Charamba confirmed they were hunting for Madzibaba Ishmael, adding that anyone with information on his whereabouts should contact the nearest police station.

Meanwhile, members of the church who were arraigned before the courts yesterday claimed in court they were assaulted by the police when they were arrested at their recidencies.

Some of the apostolic sect members also highlighted to Magistrate Douglas Chikwekwe that gun shots were fired by police detectives, even though they never resisted arrest.

They also complained of being denied access to food while in police custody.

Chikwekwe ordered the state to institute investigations into the allegations and also ordered that a government medical doctor examine the accused.

The 24 accused are Emmanuel Sigauke(37), Laston Marandure (23), Jonah Marahwa(36),Taurai Supiya(36), Shadreck Mashonganyika(25), Robert Parardzai(35), Tafa Chakwara(36), Kudzanai Tichaona Kusekwa(31), Cabson Chandaona(43), Alton Makando(31) and Ashton Chinhoyi(31)

They also include Abisha Mutandwa(30),Brian Machingura(18), Nathan Muparadzi(39), Tavengwa Gwenzi(46), Tichafa Madyegure(41), Munaro Singadi(42), Ziwanai Nyatikonde(30), Johanes Makumbe(39), Paul Mupikata(32), Simango Mharadza(45), Tichava Patrick Munemo(37)Cephas Muwona(22) and Regis Bute(age not given).

Chikwekwe denied the accused bail, though State prosecutor Fransisca Mukumbiri had earlier on told the court she was not opposed to the granting of bail.

The magistrate ruled that the release on bail for the apostolic sect members would cause chaos and public outcry owing to the nature of charges leveled against them.

According to the state, the accused were part of male congregants at the sect shrine in Budiriro 2 Park led by Madzibaba Ishmael who ran amok last Friday following an announcement by Ndanga, who was accompanied by a 26-member delegation comprising police and journalists, that their church had been banned due to violation of women and children's rights.

Part of the congregants challenged Ndanga to read his speech in Shona claiming they were not conversant with English.

Ndanga then ordered police to arrest one of the congregants who kept interjecting as he read the speech.

Other congregants became violent and unleashed canning on the delegation and the police.