The trial of Madzibaba Ishmael Chokurongerwa, the controversial leader of an Apostolic sect, and his seven alleged accomplices took a dramatic turn last Friday as the court heard harrowing testimonies from a grieving mother and the state sought to visit the farm where the alleged crimes took place.
The trial, which began last month, centres around allegations of ill-treatment of children, conducting burials without burial orders, and failing to give notice of births and deaths. Chokurongerwa and his followers have denied all charges, claiming they did not have a guardian obligation on the minors and that none of the alleged victims or their parents had reported to the police.
However, the state, led by Mr Tafara Chirambira, presented compelling evidence that paints a stark picture of life at the sect’s Nyabira farm, which they call their “heaven.”
The eleventh witness, Memory Munanairi, the mother of the now-deceased Hazel, broke down in court as she recounted her daughter’s tragic fate and the chilling rules of the sect.
“Chokurongerwa was referred to as ‘god’ at the shrine in Nyabira,” Munanairi told presiding magistrate Christine Nyandoro. She detailed the strict rules imposed by the self-proclaimed god, which included absolute control over wives and the prohibition of education and healthcare for members.
“All the household property including kitchen utensils were said to be the property of the husband and no woman or wife could claim ownership of them, all church members were ordered not to send their children to school and no church member including his/her family should seek medication from a clinic or any healthy facility,” Munanairi said.
The chilling testimony revealed a system of forced polygamy, with men compelled to take multiple wives under threat of curses or death. Munanairi herself was forced to act as a midwife when her daughter Hazel delivered her children, who were never registered with the registrar of births and never went to school.
“No lobola to be paid to parents of a child who is being married off, parents only allowed to receive groceries, and in my case, my daughter Hazel was married off at 15-years-old.”
Munanairi’s testimony highlighted the horrific consequences of defying Chokurongerwa’s authority. She was eventually chased away from the farm for questioning the well-being of her daughter, only to return with a police escort after receiving news of Hazel’s death and secret burial.
Meanwhile, the state’s application to visit the farm to see the graves of those buried without burial orders was met with resistance from the defence. The matter was deferred to August 27 for a ruling on the application.
The trial has exposed a disturbing picture of alleged abuse and exploitation within the sect, with claims of forced marriages, child labour, and the denial of basic human rights.
The state’s investigation into the farm, if allowed, could shed further light on the alleged crimes and provide crucial evidence for the prosecution.
