Self-styled madzimai vanishes with month-old baby at shrine
-claims that she wanted to serve her marriage
ASHER MOYO
MUTARE-A 28 year old self-proclaimed prophetess was yesterday nabbed by Mutare CID for stealing a one month old baby in a movie style at a shrine in order to serve her marriage from collapse as she was failing to conceive.
Manicaland Provincial Police Deputy Spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka confirmed the dramatic act and said Madzimai Getrude is at Mutare Central holding cells.
Chinyoka told The Midweek Watch that on October 6 at around 11am, Tania Mutangadende (20) of OTS Sakubva in Mutare received a call from Rumbidzai Nyamurowa (28) who goes by the name madzimai Getrude.
Madzimai Getrude told Mutangadende that they should meet at a shrine at Mutare Teachers College for spiritual assistance since her baby, Prince Alluwin Munembe (1 month) was not feeling well.
At around 2pm, Mutangadende took her baby and went to the said place. On arrival, Madzimai Getrude sprinkled salt water on the baby and made him drink lemon and salt water.
Madzimai Getrude instructed Mutangadende to leave the baby in her custody and go to fetch some herbs from a nearby bush.
She complied and upon returning she found that the prophetess had disappeared with her baby. She tried calling her but her mobile phone was no longer reachable.
She filed a police report at Dangamvura Police Station but they failed to locate her.
Yesterday, police detectives received information to the effect that Madzimai Getrude was residing at number 8688 Area 16 Nyamauru, Dangamvura.
The detectives proceeded to the mentioned address and found Madzimai Getrude with the baby.
She was brought to Mutare CID and Mutangadende was called and positively identified her baby and the kidnapper. The baby was refereed to Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital for medical check -ups.
Upon interrogations, Madzimai Getrude said she kidnapped the baby to save her marriage which was on the verge of collapsing since she could not conceive. She also said she wanted to tell her husband Robert Panganai who works in South Africa that she had given birth.
Assistant Inspector Chinyoka said investigations are still underway.