A witness in the trial of Apostolic sect leader, Madzibaba Ishmael Chokurongerwa, said he should be held responsible for failing to comply with the law in securing birth certificates for the children who were part of his sect at Lilly Farm in Nyabira.
As reported by H-Metro, the trial of Madzibaba Ishmael and his seven suspected accomplices resumed on Wednesday, 19 June.
Madzibaba Ishmael and his accomplices, namely Takavengwa Gwenzi (55), Siribiniyo Chikunhire (53), Wonder Kabaya (41), Devlodge Katsande (48), Zebedia Sigudu (49), Aaron Chokurongerwa (47) and Shingirai Ngavafume (42), are facing three counts of ill-treating children, conducting a burial without a burial order and failing to give notice of the birth and death of a person.
District public prosecutor Tafara Chirambira, and prosecutor Sheila Mupindu, led evidence from their second witness, Farai Gatusa.
Gatusa is an officer from the Births and Deaths registration department who went to Lily Farm on the day in question.
He testified that when they visited the farm, they were blocked from conducting their duties by Madzibaba Ishmael.
Gatusa told the court that they observed graves shown to them by Madzibaba Ishmael and about 48 children who lived on the farm did not have birth certificates.
He said the birth certificates shown to him by Madzibaba Ishmael’s lawyers were obtained in June 2024, after their visit in March.
Gatusa questioned the authenticity of the birth certificates as they were uncertified copies, which he was only made aware of in court.
He claimed the documents were obtained by Madzibaba Ishmael and his accomplices in an attempt to vindicate themselves from the offence, long after the trial had started.
Village head Nzwanai Musonza also testified that he would occasionally be called by Madzibaba Ishmael, and his accomplices, to officiate at the funerals and he thought they would have notified the authorities.
Musonza told the presiding magistrate, Christine Nyandoro, that he was shocked to learn that no action was taken to inform authorities of the church leaders.
In their defence, Madzibaba Ishmael and his accomplices argued that they did not have a guardian obligation to the minors, hence it was not their duty to take care of them.
The accused persons told the court that none of the alleged victims, nor their parents, have lodged a complaint with the police, therefore “the State should not be crying more than the bereaved.”
They further stated that they did not conduct the burial of any person without notifying authorities.
Madzibaba and his accomplices also submitted that they were not the only adults at Lily Farm and should not be held accountable.
The trial resumes on June 27.
