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Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Gwanda Correspondent 

A SELF-proclaimed prophet from Gwanda has been arrested for allegedly raping a 16-year-old juvenile under the pretext of healing her.

The prophet allegedly told the juvenile, who is a neighbour, that he had to sleep with her in order for her to be healed warning that the teenager would go mad if she did not comply.

He was not asked to plead when he appeared briefly before Gwanda magistrate, Mrs Nomagugu Sibanda, facing a rape charge. 

The prophet was remanded in custody to May 9 for trial.

Prosecuting, Miss Faith Mutukwa said the prophet allegedly summoned the juvenile to his house on February 2 in order to prophesy to her.

“On 2 February (the prophet) summoned the juvenile to his house as he wanted to prophesy to her. He prayed for a paper which he gave to her and told her to put it under her pillow at night so that she would dream of the person who bewitched her. He further instructed the juvenile to return the paper to him on the following day together with some charcoal.

“The following day, the juvenile went back to the prophet with the paper as he had instructed. He invited the juvenile into his bedroom and told her that she had something in her stomach which was causing her to be ill and it had to be removed. 

“He said he had to have sexual intercourse with her in order to cleanse her. The juvenile refused and he told her that she would go mad if she did not comply,” she said.

Miss Mutukwa said the prophet allegedly forcibly removed the juvenile’s clothes and raped her. 

After committing the alleged offence, he gave her milk to drink and some to bath in and told her that she had been cleansed.

Miss Mutukwa said the prophet warned the juvenile against reporting the matter to anyone. 

She said the matter came to light on March 10 when the juvenile fell ill and revealed to her mother what the prophet had done to her.

— @DubeMatutu