In the pursuit of buying the silence of a victim she is accused of having sexually molested, an under-siege controversial female cleric from Gweru is accused of having bribed the complainant with US$16 coupled with several transactions on mobile money platform, Ecocash.
The controversy-ridden 29-year old prophetess, Juliet Masakanire who founded the Pray Deliverance and Testimony Ministries International, is alleged to have sexually molested a 32-year-old member of her church.
Masakanire appeared before Gweru regional magistrate Phathekile Msipa facing aggravated indecent assault charges.
She pleaded not guilty to the charge and was remanded to today (Thursday) for continuation of trial.
Masakanire is out on $1 000 bail.
Narrating her ordeal, the complainant told the court that Masakanire, whom she addresses as ‘prophetess’, sucked her breasts while putting her fingers in her privates on three different occasions.
She said they were staying together while also sharing the same room.
“(Masakanire) used to give me money every time she abused me. She gave me US$10, US$6, R50 and transferred varying amounts to my account via EcoCash. She said I should do what she wanted if I entertained any thoughts of getting married,” the complainant said.
The woman of the cloth is also said to have told the complainant to seed something so that she could get a husband.
The complainant then ‘seeded’ a smartphone which she surrendered to the accused.
After realising that she was being duped, the complainant then demanded her smartphone back, which she was given by Masakanire.
But in her defence, Masakanire said the complainant and her allies wanted to defame her in order to destroy her church.
The prophetess said the financial handouts she was giving to the complainant ‘was money for groceries’ since they were staying together.
“She is framing me because they want to destroy me and my church,” said the self-styled prophetess.
Talent Tadenyika prosecuted.
state media
