Bogus prophet dupes senior citizen (81) of his cattle

A bogus prophet from Old Pumula reportedly duped an 81-year-old man of five head of cattle and cash after claiming that he had a vision directing him to exorcise spirits that made the old man's granddaughter produce milk, even though she was not pregnant.

Thulani Silemba allegedly heard Jereth Mkandla's neigh-bours talking about how his granddaughter was mysteriously producing milk while not breastfeeding.

Silemba immediately approached the girl and introduced himself as a prophet and latter demanded cattle and money to conduct a cleansing ceremony.

He appeared before Bulawayo Magistrate Evelyn Mashavakure yesterday facing theft and extortion charges.

He pleaded not guilty and was remanded in custody to today for continuation of trial.

"This man approached my granddaughter and pretended he saw her problem in a vision and I believed him before inviting him to come and help us. He told us that he was able to stop my granddaughter's mysterious production of milk and charged me one beast," said Mkandla.

"I agreed but he duped me, failed to heal my granddaughter and now I have lost five head of cattle and some cash to him. He is a fake prophet and I have been told that he got wind of my granddaughter's problem from neighbours who were gossiping about it."

Prosecuting Ray Makaza told the court that sometime in July, Mkandla invited Silemba to his home in Mzilikazi to cleanse "evil spirits that were haunting" his granddaughter.

"After the cleansing ceremony, Silemba charged Mkandla a beast and he agreed. Later in the month of August they both proceeded to Mkandla's rural home in Lupane with a cattle buyer," said Makaza.

"Mkandla decided to sell five head of cattle and one was going to be for the prophet's payment. He sold all the cattle for $2,050 and agreed with the buyer that Mkandla will collect the money from the buyer's butchery in Emganwini."

Makaza said Silemba went and collected Mkandla's money for four cattle without his consent.

"He collected $1,650 and bought a motor vehicle. Silemba went on and approached Mkandla demanding eight head of cattle and threatened him with death. Mkandla did not comply and Silemba took $200, a television set and a two-in-one blanket away," he said.