Prophet Magaya's alleged chief usher commits suicide in Botswana prison

A Zimbabwean woman identified as a chief usher with the Harare based Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries church led by Prophet Walter Magaya was last week reportedly found dead at the Francistown State Prison in an incident believed to be suicide.

Botswana's media reported on Friday that the woman identified as Chipo Chakanyuka (25) from Harare, was arrested in Botswana while trying to sell rough diamonds.

Chakanyuka allegedly managed to smuggle the precious stones into the country through the Ramokgwebana border post together with a friend who was also arrested.

Botswana's Public Relations Officer with the Department of Prisons, Wamorena Ramolefe confirmed the suspected suicide without giving much detail on the issue.

Francistown Central Police Station Superintended Lebalang Maniki confirmed the incident saying the deceased is from Zimbabwe and the state has since instituted an investigation into the matter.

"The police are still investigating the matter to establish the circumstances that led to the deceased taking her own life," said Maniki.

Some prison warders who spoke to Botswana media on condition of anonymity since they do not have authority to speak to the media said Chakanyuka was found hanging in the prison cell's toilet by other inmates.

"It was around 3pm when the inmates who were sharing the cell with the deceased reported to the prison officials that the Zimbabwean national had hanged herself using a headscarf," said a prison warder.

Prison warders there, said nobody ever thought the lady could take her own life. Prison warders described the deceased as an ever joyous lady and who always claimed that God will protect her from all her adversaries.

"She was in possession of T-shirts inscribed PHD Ministries and countless bottles of holy oil with the face of Prophet Walter Magaya," said another prison warder, adding that the deceased claimed that she was a chief usher at the PHD Ministries in Harare.

Authorities in that country reportedly contacted the PHD Ministries to break the news of Chakanyuka's demise.

Her body was repatriated back to Zimbabwe on Tuesday last week afternoon through the Ramokgwebana border post for burial.

Chakanyuka was arrested by Tshesebe Police late last month and appeared before in the Masunga magistrates' courts on allegations of unlawful possession of precious stones.

She was remanded in custody by magistrate Goratile Moremi after the prosecution described the deceased as a flight risk.