Bishop beats chained woman to death in bid to cast out demons

A bishop from a Beitbridge-based church has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after a woman died following a violent church ritual in which she and her husband were chained and assaulted.

Gomori, a bishop at Damasko Zion Christian Church in Beitbridge, appeared before the Bulawayo High Court for sentencing on Monday after being convicted in connection with the woman's death.

Presiding judge, Justice Ngoni Nduna, sentenced him to 10 years' imprisonment, condemning the practices that led to the fatal incident.

In delivering judgment, Justice Nduna rejected the bishop's defence that the assault formed part of church practices aimed at casting out demons.

"The offender's defence that it was a church practice to beat up congregants to cast out demons, and that when the deceased joined his church she and her husband consented to such a practice, does not hold water and is not lawful. The practice is archaic and unlawful," said Justice Nduna.

During sentencing submissions, Chief Director of Prosecutions Mr Justin Uladi urged the court to impose a deterrent custodial sentence, arguing that the victim had lost her life as a result of an inhumane practice.

"A life was lost unnecessarily while following an archaic and inhumane church practice. A custodial sentence should be effected because a non-custodial sentence will trivialise the matter," said Mr Uladi.

"We pray that the court effect a deterrent sentence so as to send a strong message to other church leaders who still uphold such archaic church practices."

He further told the court that the deceased was humiliated and subjected to degrading treatment before her death.

"The deceased died without dignity as she was stripped naked and severely thrashed in front of male congregants. As such, the court should send a clear message that such inhumane church practices are not tolerated," he said.

The court heard evidence from the deceased's husband, who recounted the events leading up to his wife's death.

According to his testimony, he and his wife were praying when a church pastor identified as Philip Banga intervened and accused them of being possessed by demons.

"Banga ordered two male congregants to tie us with a chain and claimed we were possessed by demons," he told the court.

He said the following day they were taken to the Limpopo River, where they were immersed in water as part of an alleged exorcism ritual.

"On the following day we were taken to the Limpopo River and immersed in water, saying they were casting out demons," he said.

The couple was later returned to the church premises, where the assaults allegedly continued.

"We were then taken back to the church where, upon arrival, we were put into a room. After that, Gomori started to assault us until we fell unconscious, resulting in my wife's death," he told the court.

The case has drawn attention to concerns surrounding harmful practices carried out under the guise of religious rituals, with the court emphasising that such conduct falls outside the law regardless of religious beliefs or customs.

Justice Nduna's ruling sends a strong message that practices involving violence, abuse or degrading treatment cannot be justified on religious grounds and will attract serious criminal penalties.