News / National
Prophet up for rape
06 Feb 2019 at 08:10hrs | Views
A 36-year-old self-confessed prophet from Johanne Masowe weChishanu sect has been arrested for allegedly raping a job seeker seeking spiritual assistance from him.
Marryward Marara of Maglass suburb in Zvishavane appeared before Regional Magistrate Mrs Phathekile Msipa yesterday facing rape charges. He pleaded not guilty. Mrs Msipa remanded Marara in custody to Friday for continuation of trial.
In her evidence the complainant (name withheld to protect her identity) told the court that she met Marara a day before the alleged rape, after being referred to him by her aunt.
"I have never met the accused before and I was not in a relationship with him as he is alleging. I met him a day before he raped me after my aunt had referred me to get some prayers from him. That day we met he told me that I was poisoned and he prayed for me before he told me that he had removed the said poison from my stomach. He told me to return to his shrine for prayers the following day," she said.
It is the State case that on January 31 around 9AM Marara was allegedly praying for people when the complainant arrived at his shrine. The court heard that Marara told the woman that she needed prayers conducted in a bush near Shabanie mine dump.
In the bush, the court heard, Marara allegedly instructed the complainant to kneel down before he pushed her to the ground and raped her once.
Marara allegedly used a condom which burst during the forced intercourse. He allegedly took the condom and placed it in the bottle containing "holy water" before ordering the complainant to go bath with the water and dispose of the bottle in a sewage pool.
The complainant reported the matter leading to the arrest of Marara. Mr Talent Tadenyika appeared for the State.
Marryward Marara of Maglass suburb in Zvishavane appeared before Regional Magistrate Mrs Phathekile Msipa yesterday facing rape charges. He pleaded not guilty. Mrs Msipa remanded Marara in custody to Friday for continuation of trial.
In her evidence the complainant (name withheld to protect her identity) told the court that she met Marara a day before the alleged rape, after being referred to him by her aunt.
"I have never met the accused before and I was not in a relationship with him as he is alleging. I met him a day before he raped me after my aunt had referred me to get some prayers from him. That day we met he told me that I was poisoned and he prayed for me before he told me that he had removed the said poison from my stomach. He told me to return to his shrine for prayers the following day," she said.
In the bush, the court heard, Marara allegedly instructed the complainant to kneel down before he pushed her to the ground and raped her once.
Marara allegedly used a condom which burst during the forced intercourse. He allegedly took the condom and placed it in the bottle containing "holy water" before ordering the complainant to go bath with the water and dispose of the bottle in a sewage pool.
The complainant reported the matter leading to the arrest of Marara. Mr Talent Tadenyika appeared for the State.
Source - chronicle
