News / Religion
Church members nabbed for digs up grave in-search of 'riches'
11 Feb 2016 at 07:34hrs | Views
FIVE Johane Marange Apostolic Sect members who were arrested for digging up a grave in Chivi told police their forefather told them in a dream he was buried with great wealth.
Villagers stumbled on the group, from Gweru, at around 6AM on Monday busy at the Madzivire Chieftainship graveyard.
The villagers told The Chronicle they had seen human remains and bones in the apostolic sect members' vehicle.
Villagers handed over Tazviona Hove, 35, Edward Siziba of Loreto Business Centre, Innocent Mpofu, 23, of Mafongosi Village under Chief Malisa in Silobela, and Claudios Mufudza, 61 of Senga in Gweru urban and Farai Mavhuma Madzivire, 24, of Madyira Village under Chief Nyajena in Masvingo to police at Ngundu Growth Point.
Masvingo police spokesperson Inspector Charity Mazula yesterday said the incident occurred in the Chengwe Mountains in Madzivire Village under Chief Madzivire.
She said the churchmen had traditional charms in their car.
The police spokesperson said one of the suspects claimed he dreamt of his forefather who died in the early 1980s telling him that he had lots of money in his possession in the grave.
"I can confirm receiving a report where five Johane Marange Apostolic sect men were found digging a grave in Chivi.
"The group was found with traditional charms in their car. They're in police custody assisting with investigations," Inspector Mazula said.
"They'll appear in court soon facing charges of violating a grave."
A villager said the group was found with human bones.
"We saw human bones which were in the car and we believe they were exhumed from the grave," said Solomon Maisiri from Museva business centre.
A police source said the "syndicate", which was driving in a Toyota Vista, travelled from Gweru only for their mission to be thwarted by alert villagers.
She said on Monday at around 6AM, Absolom Madzivire, 49, and Moses Chamisa, 31, from Madzivire Village saw Hove, Farai, Mpofu, Siziba and Mufudza proceeding to Chengwe Mountains, home to the Madzivire Chieftainship's shrine.
"They started digging up one grave which they later claimed belonged to their forefather."
Maisiri said Absolom and Chamisa suspected the gang was tampering with the graves and went to the shrine to investigate.
"They found four of the men digging up the grave while Mufudza was watching. The two villagers asked them what they were doing but they failed to respond. They effected a citizen's arrest and took them to Ngundu Police leading to their arrest," said Maisiri.
Villagers stumbled on the group, from Gweru, at around 6AM on Monday busy at the Madzivire Chieftainship graveyard.
The villagers told The Chronicle they had seen human remains and bones in the apostolic sect members' vehicle.
Villagers handed over Tazviona Hove, 35, Edward Siziba of Loreto Business Centre, Innocent Mpofu, 23, of Mafongosi Village under Chief Malisa in Silobela, and Claudios Mufudza, 61 of Senga in Gweru urban and Farai Mavhuma Madzivire, 24, of Madyira Village under Chief Nyajena in Masvingo to police at Ngundu Growth Point.
Masvingo police spokesperson Inspector Charity Mazula yesterday said the incident occurred in the Chengwe Mountains in Madzivire Village under Chief Madzivire.
She said the churchmen had traditional charms in their car.
The police spokesperson said one of the suspects claimed he dreamt of his forefather who died in the early 1980s telling him that he had lots of money in his possession in the grave.
"I can confirm receiving a report where five Johane Marange Apostolic sect men were found digging a grave in Chivi.
"The group was found with traditional charms in their car. They're in police custody assisting with investigations," Inspector Mazula said.
"They'll appear in court soon facing charges of violating a grave."
A villager said the group was found with human bones.
"We saw human bones which were in the car and we believe they were exhumed from the grave," said Solomon Maisiri from Museva business centre.
A police source said the "syndicate", which was driving in a Toyota Vista, travelled from Gweru only for their mission to be thwarted by alert villagers.
She said on Monday at around 6AM, Absolom Madzivire, 49, and Moses Chamisa, 31, from Madzivire Village saw Hove, Farai, Mpofu, Siziba and Mufudza proceeding to Chengwe Mountains, home to the Madzivire Chieftainship's shrine.
"They started digging up one grave which they later claimed belonged to their forefather."
Maisiri said Absolom and Chamisa suspected the gang was tampering with the graves and went to the shrine to investigate.
"They found four of the men digging up the grave while Mufudza was watching. The two villagers asked them what they were doing but they failed to respond. They effected a citizen's arrest and took them to Ngundu Police leading to their arrest," said Maisiri.
Source - Chronicle
