Developing story… Clearwater Satanism scare: Traditional leadership takes sect to task

BY TRUST BVARANGA

TRADITIONAL leadership at Clearwater in Chipinge has taken Christ Life Church principals to task following an alleged Satanism scare that took place in the area last week.

Village head Mwandeka under Chief Mutema on March 9, 2023, arraigned before a traditional court a self-proclaimed prophet by the name Apostle Lawrence Dhukuza. The court was held at Clearwater schools ground following instances that disturbed learning at Clearwater Secondary School between Thursday and Friday last week (9 and 10 Mach 2023).

The traditional court which this reporter attended, was also attended by senior Chipinge rural Ward 7 leadership and the Member of Parliament of Chipinge Central, Hon Raymond Machingura, alleged that Dhukuza, who is based at Bosclof Business Centre near Clearwater, recruited youthful members into his religious sect, most of them who are learners at Clearwater Secondary School.

Allegations indicate that Dhukuza pays church attendees after every church service and this helps to lure the youthful souls to his sect. It is further claimed that this act became a norm after the alleged returned from Nigeria where he is thought to have acquired his power.

The traditional leadership claims that it was alerted by the head of the secondary school after Dhukuza disturbed learning at the institution in the previous week.

It is alleged that on the day in question, a student (name withdrawn) who is a member Dhukuza’s sect brought a silver ring to school but the ornament was seized by one of his teachers after he noticed that the ring was causing other learners to pay much attention to the owner.

On the following day, it is alleged that the ring owner started to behave mentally deranged. The young man alerted his grandmother of the ordeal and that he was involved in the underworld, a claim which his father brushed away.

Upon learning that his sect ring was now in custody of the school authorities, Dhukuza approached the school head and intimidated him that he had already captured the entire school with his powers. That is when the school head notified the traditional leadership of the self-proclaimed prophet’s threats.

The traditional leadership swiftly reacted to the issue. When they approached Dhukuza and questioned him about the ring and his claimed powers, Dhukuza refused to respond. Instead, he asked students who attend his sect to look for the ring in the headmaster’s office, thus disrupting learning.

Village head Mwandeka later made investigations into matter only to realise that some students had already been tempted to join Dhukuza’s underworld in February but they had refused. A student told him that Dhukuza pays ZW$400 to young people after attending his sect services and also buys them food, especially bananas. The village head retreated only to summon Dhukuza to his court yesterday.

During the latest engagement with the sect leader, the village head ruled that Dhukuza should be handed over to the police so that he could answer to criminal nuisance that he should produced the certificate which shows that his sect is registered as per Government statutes.

The sect was accused of holding its underworld activities in the area’s sacred mountain. As a result, Dhukuza’s second-in-charge at the sect was ordered to bring money in the tune of US$200 which shall be used to perform rites to cleanse the whole area including the mountain, the school and the village.

After the court procedure, MP Machingura thanked the traditional leadership for safeguarding the Clearwater community.

• This is a developing story. More details to follow.