ramonmercado
CyberPunk
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Another cult with 16 unregistered graves, including those of infants found so far and more than 250 children rescued who were being exploited as cheap/slave labour.
Police with dogs are a shrine on a farm near Harare in Zimbabwe, © AP
14/03/2024 | 08:05 AM BY FARAI MUTSAKA, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Zimbabwe police said they have arrested a man claiming to be a prophet of an apostolic sect at a shrine where believers stay in a compound and authorities found 16 unregistered graves, including those of infants, and more than 250 children used as cheap labour.
In a statement, police spokesman Paul Nyathi said Ishmael Chokurongerwa, 56, a “self-styled” prophet, led a sect with more than 1,000 members at a farm about 21 miles (34km) north-west of the capital, Harare, where the children were staying alongside other believers.
The children “were being used to perform various physical activities for the benefit of the sect’s leadership”, he said. Of the 251 children, 246 had no birth certificates.
“Police established that all children of school-going age did not attend formal education and were subjected to abuse as cheap labour, doing manual work in the name of being taught life skills,” Mr Nyathi said.
He said police officers raided the shrine on Tuesday. Police said that among the graves they found were those of seven infants whose burials were not registered with authorities. Mr Chokurongerwa, who called himself the Prophet Ishmael, was arrested together with seven of his aides “for criminal activities which include abuse of minors”.
Mr Nyathi said more details would be released “in due course as investigations unfold”
There has been little detailed research on Apostolic churches in Zimbabwe, but Unicef studies estimate it is the largest religious denomination with around 2.5 million followers in a country of 15 million.
Some of the groups adhere to a doctrine demanding that followers avoid formal education for their children as well as medicines and medical care for members who must instead seek healing through their faith in prayer, holy water and anointed stones.
https://www.breakingnews.ie/world/z...-in-religious-sect-compound-raid-1600960.html
Zimbabwe police rescue 251 children in religious sect compound raid
WORLD
Police with dogs are a shrine on a farm near Harare in Zimbabwe, © AP
14/03/2024 | 08:05 AM BY FARAI MUTSAKA, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Zimbabwe police said they have arrested a man claiming to be a prophet of an apostolic sect at a shrine where believers stay in a compound and authorities found 16 unregistered graves, including those of infants, and more than 250 children used as cheap labour.
In a statement, police spokesman Paul Nyathi said Ishmael Chokurongerwa, 56, a “self-styled” prophet, led a sect with more than 1,000 members at a farm about 21 miles (34km) north-west of the capital, Harare, where the children were staying alongside other believers.
The children “were being used to perform various physical activities for the benefit of the sect’s leadership”, he said. Of the 251 children, 246 had no birth certificates.
“Police established that all children of school-going age did not attend formal education and were subjected to abuse as cheap labour, doing manual work in the name of being taught life skills,” Mr Nyathi said.
He said police officers raided the shrine on Tuesday. Police said that among the graves they found were those of seven infants whose burials were not registered with authorities. Mr Chokurongerwa, who called himself the Prophet Ishmael, was arrested together with seven of his aides “for criminal activities which include abuse of minors”.
Mr Nyathi said more details would be released “in due course as investigations unfold”
There has been little detailed research on Apostolic churches in Zimbabwe, but Unicef studies estimate it is the largest religious denomination with around 2.5 million followers in a country of 15 million.
Some of the groups adhere to a doctrine demanding that followers avoid formal education for their children as well as medicines and medical care for members who must instead seek healing through their faith in prayer, holy water and anointed stones.
https://www.breakingnews.ie/world/z...-in-religious-sect-compound-raid-1600960.html