A 19-year-old married woman reportedly had her privates and head shaved during a cleansing ceremony held at a Johanne Masowe yeChishanu shrine.

According to H-Metro, the incident happened in Macheke last week where Moreblessing Kuziwomunhu claimed that she was forced by her mother in-law Evelyn Zenda to get her shaved by prophet at the shrine so as to avoid miscarriage upon giving birth.

The shaving was conducted during a night prayer and the shaved hair were taken to a sacred cave (ninga).

Irked by the act, Moreblessing informed her mother identified as Mai Kuzivamunhu before dragging Zenda to Chief Mangwende’s court.

The case against Zenda is reportedly for forcing Moreblessing to undergo the exorcising act.

Moreblessing told H-Metro that she was shaved while three men were pressing her from her back in the absence of her husband Gilfas Mundicha, 27.

“I had not been going to church for long and my mother in law invited me citing that the spirit wanted to say something to me.

“Upon arriving at the shrine, one of the prophets stood up and gave prophecy on me that with or without my consent I was not going to leave the shrine until I get my hair removed.

“One of the church members was quick to say she had a pair of scissors and three men who assigned to stand at my back during the cleansing.

“I was shaved while someone was pouring water all over my body and their reason was to protect my pregnancy,” she said.

Moreblessing said she was told to take the hair to the cave.

“They gave me the hair in which I was told to mix it with charcoal and put it in a white cloth before taking it to the cave around 9 pm.

“Some few days we had a quarrel with my mother in-law over an issue before I ended up apologizing.

“That was the reason I could not deny to undergo the cleansing ceremony she suggested for me.