ZCC bishop in court for whipping congregant to death
SITHOKOZILE MAJOLA
TWO NATIONS REPORTER
BEITBRIDGE-A Zion Christian Church (ZCC) Damasko bishop has been denied bail for manslaughter after he tied a female church elder to a tree and whipped her for two days resulting in her death in a cleansing ceremony.
Beitbridge Magistrate Annia Chimweta remanded Bishop Crispen Gomore of Limpopo View in custody to April 12, 2023, when he appeared in court last week.
Prosecutor Esther Vengedza told the court that Gomere tied the woman and her husband who is also an elder of the church to a tree after accusing them of showing signs of mental illness. They were tied on March 6, 2023 around 4 pm.
Around 4:30 pm Gomere instructed a congregant, Lazarus Chikova to collect the couple’s minor children aged eight and four from their home.
Chikova returned with the children who found their parents tied to a tree. The couple was left tied for the night.
On the following day Gomore began whipping the couple around 10 pm all over the body using switches as a cleansing ritual. The couple was allegedly whipped all day long and left tied to the tree for a second night.
The couple was whipped for two days in full view of their minor children aged eight and four and forced to sleep while tied on a tree.
Gomore again whipped the couple all day long on March 8, 2023 and disregarded their plea to be released.
The woman died on the third day and had a swollen head while her husband was bedridden for weeks while admitted at Beitbridge District Hospital.
He allegedly disregarded their plea to be freed.
The woman died around 4 am on the same day and Gomere allegedly fled the scene.
A church member informed Beitbridge Urban ZRP about the situation and Police officers attended the scene.
The woman’s body was taken for postmortem while her husband was rushed to Beitbridge District Hospital for medical attention.
The postmortem was done on March 13, 2023, and it was concluded that the causes of death are assault, cranial trauma and encephalic contusion.
Gomere went into hiding and was arrested at the church on March 24, 2023 after Police received a tip off. Police recovered the chains which were used to shackle the couple. Gomere is represented by Patrick Tererai of Tererai Legal Practice.
