Zimbabwe police rescue 250 children forced to work with religious sect

Police spokesperson Paul Nyathi said seven associates of the cult leader, Ishmael Chokurongerwa, 56, a self-proclaimed prophet, were also detained after a raid on Tuesday. Nyathi said the eight were wanted in various crimes, including child abuse, and were apprehended from a church in Nyabira town, Mashonaland West province. Police have found that out of the 251 children under 18 found on the farm, 246 had no birth certificates and were exploited for physical labor by sect leaders, Nyathi said on Wednesday. The spokesperson said authorities discovered 16 graves of nine adults and seven children from the compound of the shrine.

The spokesman said all burials were carried out without prior registration. Local media reports indicate that the children and women rescued from the farm were transported to the hospital for tests and medical examinations to assess their health status and determine if they had experienced any abuse. The sect led by Chokurongerwa, known as the Apostolic Church of Johane Masowe (named after the organization’s founder), and with numerous followers in Zimbabwe, prohibits reading the Bible, engaging in jobs outside the community, or seeking medical treatment. Additionally, it enforces polygamy and sanctions early marriage for girls.

A similar case unfolded in Kenyan courts in April last year when the leader of a sect was arrested for allegedly persuading around 430 people to fast until death to meet Jesus Christ. Pastor Paul Mackenzie and 94 other co-defendants are facing charges of terrorism, the murder of 191 children, and the involuntary manslaughter of at least 238 individuals. Mackenzie is accused of being the mastermind behind the “Shakahola massacre,” named after the forest in the coastal county of Kilifi. Authorities discovered most of the nearly 430 corpses of his followers in mass graves and tombs, many of whom were children.

Despite being in custody since April 2023 along with approximately 30 other detainees, the religious leader allegedly persuaded church members to fast to death. Autopsies revealed traces of starvation in all bodies, along with signs of strangulation and suffocation in some cases. On Jan. 31, the Kenyan Ministry of Interior designated the Kenyan sect, the International Church of the Good News, as an organized criminal group. EFE cz-ssk