News / National
Vapositori attack senior cop for trespassing at their shrine
04 Jul 2016 at 01:56hrs | Views
A police chief superintendent was attacked and seriously injured by members of the Johane Masowe Apostolic Sect in Mashonaland Central Province after he was accused of trespassing at their shrine.
The senior police officer, whose name is being withheld, is believed to have visited his father near the shrine when the incident occurred recently. He was badly hurt and was taken to hospital for treatment.
Police have since arrested five members from the apostolic sect in connection with the incident. Although the details are still sketchy, it is believed that the senior officer went to the shrine to see his father and this did not go down well with some members of the sect who accused him of trespassing.
They then confronted him and an altercation arose. The members teamed up and assaulted the senior police officer. A report was later made to the police, and when some officers went to the scene to investigate the matter, they were also manhandled by the members.
Last week, police managed to arrest five of the suspects who are assisting them with investigations. This is not the first time that police officers have been attacked by members of the apostolic sect.
In April last year, Madzibaba Ishmael Chokurongerwa Mufani was sentenced to five years in prison for leading an attack on police officers, journalists and members of the Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe at their Budiriro shrine in 2014.
Mufani was convicted after a full trial, joining 11 members of his sect in prison. The magistrate, Mr Milton Serima, set aside one year on condition of good behaviour, leaving Mufani with four effective years to serve behind bars.
The senior police officer, whose name is being withheld, is believed to have visited his father near the shrine when the incident occurred recently. He was badly hurt and was taken to hospital for treatment.
Police have since arrested five members from the apostolic sect in connection with the incident. Although the details are still sketchy, it is believed that the senior officer went to the shrine to see his father and this did not go down well with some members of the sect who accused him of trespassing.
They then confronted him and an altercation arose. The members teamed up and assaulted the senior police officer. A report was later made to the police, and when some officers went to the scene to investigate the matter, they were also manhandled by the members.
Last week, police managed to arrest five of the suspects who are assisting them with investigations. This is not the first time that police officers have been attacked by members of the apostolic sect.
In April last year, Madzibaba Ishmael Chokurongerwa Mufani was sentenced to five years in prison for leading an attack on police officers, journalists and members of the Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe at their Budiriro shrine in 2014.
Mufani was convicted after a full trial, joining 11 members of his sect in prison. The magistrate, Mr Milton Serima, set aside one year on condition of good behaviour, leaving Mufani with four effective years to serve behind bars.
Source - the herald
