By CHILA NAMAIKO –
A FORTY-SEVEN-year-old man of Chief Simwatachela in Zimba has died after drinking holy water allegedly mixed with a poisonous substance from a purported church bishop.
Southern Province Police Chief, Mary Chikwanda, who confirmed the incident in an interview yesterday, named the deceased as Geoffrey Simaubi.
Ms Chikwanda said the holy water which was blue in colour, was consumed by Mr Simaubi after being given by Paul Ndhlovu, a bishop from a named church.
She said the incident happened on Tuesday around mid-day in Simwatechela Village where bishop Ndhlovu had gone to conduct a church meeting attended by scores of villagers.
She said, while Bishop Ndhlovu was preaching, he produced the holy water and allegedly gave it to the villagers to drink as the church service was in session.
Ms Chikwanda said Mr Simaubi, however, was the only one who drunk the holy water, while other villagers ignored it.
“When the church meeting ended, the villagers only discovered between 19:00 hours and midnight that Mr Simaubi was vomiting the same blue holy water he had drunk suspected to have been mixed with a poisonous substance,” she said.
Ms Chikwanda said Mr Simaubi died on Tuesday night and his body was taken to Zimba Mission Hospital mortuary and a post-mortem was conducted on Wednesday.
She said the sample was taken to the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) and the results were expected yesterday.
She said the purported bishop who was on the run, had not been seen in Simwatechela Village since Tuesday when the incident happened.
Ms Chikwanda, however, said police with the help of some villagers managed to apprehend two church members who were with Bishop Ndhlovu.
“We managed to apprehend two of Bishop Ndhlovu’s colleagues, but we can’t disclose their names because we are carrying out investigations,” she said.
Meanwhile, a 32-year-old woman of Pemba who was allegedly assaulted by her husband, a police officer, has forgiven him.
Constable Richard Mufalo allegedly assaulted his wife, Jacqueline Musho, on Thursday last week following a domestic dispute and she sustained deep cuts on her face and neck.
Ms Chikwanda confirmed the development yesterday saying Ms Musho decide to forgive her husband and had since returned to her matrimonial home.