Harare, (New Ziana) – A 40 year old self-proclaimed apostolic sect prophet from Mutare, Manicaland province, who used supernatural powers to prevent his victim from screaming when he raped her, has been sentenced to an effective 17 years in prison.

Tendai Chikowore from Chikanga, Mutare was initially sentenced to 20 years imprisonment but had three years conditionally suspended for five years.

In a post on X, the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ) said on July 6 this year, Chikowore was at his shrine in the Eastern border city when he was approached by the 31-year-old complainant seeking spiritual guidance.

He told her that she needed cleansing and gave her some water to bath. He also instructed her to smear her body with ashes in a nearby bush.

While she was applying the ashes in the bush, Chikowore suddenly appeared and pushed the complainant to the ground and raped her once.

The complainant tried to scream for help and Chikowore “ordered complainant’s voice to mute and she lost her voice”.

After the rape, Chikowore told the complainant that she should not argue with the Holy Spirit and also that she needed to be cleansed with holy water to get her voice back.

The complainant could still not speak when she made a police report and had to write down her ordeal on a piece of paper leading to Chikowore’s arrest.

After his arrest, Chikowore performed some rituals that enabled the complainant to regain her voice.

Separately, Vitalis Chipomwe (22) of Nyama village in Karoi, Mashonaland West province, was jailed for 30 years for raping and robbing his 51-year-old victim. The NPAZ said on July 24 this year, Chipomwe broke into the woman’s room behind the shop she operated.

The woman woke up and saw Chipomwe, who had covered his body with ashes, standing at the door. She screamed for help but Chipomwe charged at her and grabbed her by the neck, choking her.

He assaulted her with a screw driver and another sharp object before he raped her. After the rape, Chipomwe used a wooden log to assault her until she fell unconscious.

When the woman eventually got help from her neighbours and regained consciousness, she discovered that US$500 was missing from her shop.

The woman sustained deep cuts on both eyes, a fractured jaw, bruised lower part of the right eye, a deep cut on her lower lip and one of her teeth fell out.

New Ziana