Pelagia Chingwena (35) has been arrested for ordering the exhumation of the body of a three-month-old baby in Madziwa.
Chingwena, a self-proclaimed prophetess from Kutenda kwaJehovha Apostolic church is reported to have ordered the exhumation of the deceased baby after claiming that she would resurrect after her prayers.
The bishop of the church Tamuka Chiboiwa (43), prophetess Chingwena, the deceased’s parents and church members are alleged to have gathered and prayed for the corpse the whole night.
Reports indicate that the deceased baby was reburied after Chingwena’s prayers and rituals failed to resurrect the baby.
Speaking after Chingwena’s arrest, Mashonaland Central police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Naison Dhliwayo revealed the baby died at around 3 am on November 16.
Inspector Dliwayo revealed that soon after the baby passed away, a message was sent to Chiboiwa who went to inform Chingwena.
“Soon after the baby’s death, a message was sent to Chiboiwa of Musiiwa village under Chief Mutumba in Madziwa.
“He contacted Chingwena of the same village who started praying and speaking in tongues,” said Ass Insp Dhliwayo.
Chingwena reportedly started speaking in tongues and told Chiboiwa that the baby was not dead. Inspector Dhliwayo said the bishop instructed the deceased parents not to bury the baby.
“She claimed to the bishop that the baby was not dead. Chiboiwa immediately contacted the deceased’s parents advising them not to bury the baby until they arrived.”
However, by the time the bishop, prophetess, and other congregants arrived, the baby had already been buried.
The prophetess started praying and fell into a trance before ordering church elders to exhume the corpse insisting that the baby was alive.
The body of the deceased baby was taken home and the prophetess spent the whole night trying to resurrect the baby but to no avail.
After failing to resurrect the baby, the body was reburied on November 17 at around 10 am. The same day, the police were informed that a body was exhumed.
The police arrested Chingwena, Maria Chirata (61), and Esteli Chitsamba (41) for violating a grave and body in contravention of Section 110 and 111 of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act.
