Mugabe 'death prophet' cancels Zimbabwe trip

A Nigerian preacher, who last year claimed Zimbabwe was going to have a new leader within six months, has had to cancel his trip to the country after his lieutenants were deported.

Chris Okafor, leader of the Liberation City World Outreach Ministries, was reportedly due in Zimbabwe today, but reportedly cancelled the trip due to his "prophecy" that Zimbabwe would have a young leader by March this year and those who had previously persecuted the incoming President would start dying within 30 days.

After five Nigerian preachers were deported at the weekend, it was suspected that this was a result of sinister battles among local religious leaders, but it has emerged that suspected Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) operatives quizzed local church leader Joseph Magorimbo and detained two of the remaining Nigerians, whose whereabouts could not be ascertained last night.

"The CIO took Pastor Joseph Magorimbo (of Glory to All Nations Ministries also known as Fire) and questioned him for five hours accusing him of inviting Pastor Chris Okafor," the source privy to the goings-on told NewsDay.

"They are claiming that Okafor prophesied something against the President. But they have not said what it is Okafor said. Okafor was supposed to arrive tomorrow (today), but he has since cancelled the trip."

The clergymen's lawyer, Jonathan Samukange, confirmed to NewsDay from Namibia yesterday that his clients had been detained, quizzed and possibly deported.

"We have been advised by our clients that they were picked up by nine people, who claimed to be immigration officials, detained and questioned for over five hours at Linquenda House (Immigration Department headquarters)," Samukange said.

"Magorimbo was released in the dead of the night, while the two foreigners were bundled into a truck and taken to an unknown destination.

"We believe they have been deported. They were threatened and told in no uncertain terms not to contact their lawyers. Now if this is what happened, then (Francis) Mabika (assistant regional immigration officer in charge of compliance and enforcement) is in contempt of court."

Samukange added: "The provisional court order was issued in his (Mabika) presence and, as a government official, he cannot be seen to be defying lawful court orders."

On Sunday, Mabika told NewsDay he was not aware of the court order. "The lawyers who are talking of a court order must give it to you. We have no idea of the court order," Mabika said.

"We only know that two people had a problem at the [Harare International] Airport, but have since been allowed in."

Mabika constantly terminated calls when NewsDay tried to get comment from him yesterday.

In October last year, Okafor, known in Nigeria as God's Oracle, is said to have claimed he had seen a vision where "Zimbabwe [is] to have a throne change in six months and three weeks, the new leader will be less than 50 years old and those who oppressed Zimbabwe will start dying in 30 days' time".

It is understood that the prediction might not have been well-received by Zimbabwean authorities. At the weekend authorities in Harare were said to have deported Okafor's advance party of five clergymen, but allowed two of them into the country following the court order granted by High Court judge Justice November Mtshiya.

Okafor had been invited to a conference scheduled to have begun yesterday and set to end tomorrow, but is now stuck in South Africa following the new developments.