Siphakeme .Mnindwa
Mashudu Mambo
THE testimony of a 26-year-old woman from Cowdray Park suburb in Bulawayo who was indecently assaulted by a self-proclaimed prophet stunned the court when she revealed that the prophet claimed that the spirit led him to insert his finger on her private parts.
Brian Ncube appeared before Bulawayo regional magistrate Sibonginkosi Mnkandla facing a charge of aggravated indecent assault. He pleaded not guilty to the charge and was remanded in custody to Friday.
During the trial, the victim indicated that the prophet was a regular visitor who prayed for her aunt.
“On the day in question, Ncube came to our house to pray for my aunt and during the prayers, he indicated that we had to go to the bush at night to perform a ritual for my aunt.
“At around 10pm, we arrived at the bush and he dug a hole for my aunt and then prayed. He went on to instruct her to leave the clothes that she had been wearing in the hole as part of the cleansing ritual. He went on to make a fire and instructed me to jump the fire seven times and after this, we went back home to complete the rituals,” she said.
The victim indicated that when they got home the culprit instructed her to go to the bathroom and wash her private part.
“We arrived at home at around 11 pm and he instructed me to go and wash my private parts in the bathroom, I complied. While I was in the bathroom, he instructed me to insert my finger in my private parts seven times and imagine seeing my father’s child.
“He asked me what l was seeing and I indicated that I could not visualise anything. Ncube entered the bathroom carrying some pink powder and he inserted his finger in my private part,” she said.
The victim indicated that he continued with the ritual and prayers in the bathroom.
“The suspect instructed me to bend and lift my dress while he was behind me praying. During the prayer, I looked back and realised that he had unpinned his belt and I jumped and left the bathroom,” she said.
State allegations against Ncube are that on 2 December 2024 at around 8 pm, he was at the victim’s place of residence where he spent the day carrying out prayers for the victim’s aunt and cousin.
At around 10pm, he gave the victim some concoctions to bathe with so that she could be cured of bad luck. While the victim was bathing, Ncube instructed her to insert her finger into her private parts and she complied.
He enquired how she was feeling and the victim indicated that the feeling was indifferent. Ncube went on to insert his finger in her private parts without her consent. The victim reported the matter to the police leading to the arrest of the culprit.
