We use the name prophet to deceive people

A self styled prophet is in police custody amid shocking allegations that he was sent to kill daughter of a late prominent businessman.

Prophet Jacob Chigando (31) was Monday detained at Mbare Police Station after Laina Gonyora, the daughter of the late Lishon Gonyora of Gonyora Investments took him to the police.

"I was at home in Milton Park last Thursday when Jacob came and said he had been praying for me after he had received a word of prophecy. He then started telling us every little detail about our family and every problem that we were experiencing. His detailed narration of our family made us to suspect that there was someone who was giving him information so we decided to set him up," Laina said.

Laina then set up a trap and told Jacob that she knew of two women who would require his services and he agreed to meet them oblivious of the fact that he was being trapped.

"He didn't know that we were taking him to the police in Mbare. When we arrived at the police station, the police advised him to tell the truth which he started pouring out," said Laina.

She alleged that Jacob said the following at the police station: "I was being used by Laina's stepmother Barbara Gonyora to bring bad luck to them. She actually had intentions of having them dead and sent me to deal with the whole issue."

However, Barbara vehemently denied the accusations and said it was malicious information coming from a total stranger.

"Handizive munhu iyeye. Handitombozvizive. I have never heard of him and I don't know what you are talking about. Why would I want to kill my own children? Munhu iyeye arikunyepa," she said.

However, Jacob stuck to his story and said he was exposing Barbara because she was using him WITHOUT PAYMENT.

"I was irked after she stopped paying me when I was working for her. She would call me to come and sort some issues but she would not give me bus fare. She once gave me a packet of maputi and US$2. I am tired of being used by her that is why I decided to alert Laina and her sisters," said Jacob.

The late Lishon Gonyora is said to have owned over 50 properties including buildings leased to ZSE listed retail entities. The step mother is believed to be in wrangle with Laina and her siblings.

"Vanga vachida kuti tipfuudze Laina (She wanted us to kill Laina). She bought a sheep which is in Madziwa at prophet Micho's homestead and some pieces of material which I have needles pinned on them. I got soil from the graveyard and I was supposed to get soil from Laina's house and mix it together in rituals and then we would kill the sheep and Laina would die the day after tomorrow. I was also supposed to get a piece of clothing from her which we would perform rituals on and I would throw it into the wind and she would go mad," Jacob confessed.

The revelations were spine chilling and Jacob begged our news crew to seek help on his behalf because he was tired of being used by the powers of darkness.

"I was once a n'anga and I turned into a prophet but not exactly the good prophet. We use the name prophet to deceive people. I can go into people's houses using the powers of darkness and do whatever I want. When we use our different modes of travelling rusero I can use juju on the person and go back to bed and I will do whatever I want," Jacob added.

Jacob however pleaded for those who can pray for him to be delivered to do so.

"I am tired of this. Ndingafe ndiri murombo ndichikanganisa vanhu. Some days, we can turn people into horses or anything that we feel like. You can travel with the person to Bulawayo or wherever we want to go. I use my powers in the early hours of the morning at 3am when people are fast asleep. I can get to know what they are thinking and what they are planning," he added.

The police however, could NOT comment on the issue and the matter was being dealt with by the Victim Friendly Unit.