Gweru Woman Raped by Self-Proclaimed Prophet During Staged Spiritual Cleansing
A 22-year-old Gweru woman was sexually assaulted after a self-proclaimed prophet used spiritual extortion and fear tactics to lure her to a secluded bush area behind Mkoba Cemetery. The perpetrator has been convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Delicious Mathuthu 
Gweru —A 22-year-old woman seeking spiritual cleansing was sexually assaulted behind Mkoba Cemetery by a self-proclaimed prophet who allegedly orchestrated a fraudulent ritual to exploit her vulnerability.
The 25 year old self proclaimed prophet from Mkoba 4 has since been convicted and sentenced to 15-years imprisonment.
The court heard that the complainant approached the Nyenyedzi Nomwe Shrine on June 4, 2026, seeking spiritual assistance.
Detailing the encounter, State prosecutors said the offender immediately initiated a campaign of psychological and spiritual manipulation to compromise the victim's autonomy.
"The offender prayed for the victim and claimed she was possessed by a spirit causing men to lose interest in her," the court heard.
To further induce panic and ensure compliance, the offender manufactured a scenario involving ritual theft, telling the victim that "someone had stolen her undergarments for ritual purposes," National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ) said in a statement, confirmi g the incident.
He further said the sole recourse to neutralise the purported curse was to undergo a "cleansing" prayer involving fire in a nearby bush.
Submitting to the spiritual duress, the complainant followed the self proclaimed prophet to a secluded clearing behind Mkoba Cemetery.
The victim, who was caring for her employer’s two-year-old son at the time, was systematically isolated when the offender ordered her to leave the child a few meters away.
The state heard that the offender then initiated a pseudo-spiritual ritual, utilising rapoko grains and a clay plate, known as a mbiya or udiwo.
Utilising the pretext of divine intervention, the court heard that the perpetrator coerced the victim into removing her undergarments and lying down under the guise of spiritual healing, then raped her.
Following the assault, the complainant managed to escape the scene and immediately disclosed the violation to her employer.
The employer directed her to law enforcement, culminating in a swift report at the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Mkoba station and the subsequent arrest of the suspect.
In the wake of the judicial outcome, the NPAZ issued a warning to religious figures who weaponise faith against citizens.
"The NPAZ remains committed to rooting out predators who hide behind the veil of religion to abuse vulnerable citizens. The law will take its full course without fear or favor," the prosecution authority stated.
