The body of a child who was allegedly buried at Madzibaba Ishmael Chokurongerwa’s shrine at Lily Farm in Nyabira without the knowledge of the mother was expected to be exhumed this Friday.
The mother of the child, Memory Mukanairi pleaded with authorities for the body to be exhumed.
It will be the second exhumation of a body at the shrine after the exhumation of the remains of the late Professor Itai Muwati, who died in unclear circumstances at the same shrine.
Prof Muwati’s brother claimed that his sibling was murdered by members of the cult after he decided to leave because he no longer agreed with some of the things which were happening at the shrine.
According to H-Metro, a heavy police presence was expected at Lily Farm for the exhumation process just in case there was resistance from some of the cult members.
Madzibaba Ishmael and his co-accused, Takavengwa Gwenzi (55), Siribiniyo Chikunire (53), Wonder Kabaya (41), Devlodge Katsande (47), Zebediah Sigudu (49), Aaron Chokurongerwa (47) and Shingirai Ngavafume (42), who are all members of the cult, appeared before High Court judge Justice Rodgers Manyangadze on Thursday.
Madzibaba Ishmael was denied bail while his co-accused were granted bail by the High Court. He will remain in custody until their trial gets underway on May 7.
Justice Manyangadze granted bail to the seven accomplices while denying Madzibaba Ishmael’s release. He said the magistrate, who had previously denied bail to Madzibaba Ishmael’s seven accomplices, erred by adopting a dragnet approach and failing to identify the cult leader.
Madzibaba Ishmael and his accomplices stand accused of contravening Section 3 (1) and (2) of the Burial and Cremation Act 5:03 and Section 7(1) and (5) of the Children’s Act 5:06.
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