UPDATE: 19-yr-old Zim prophet drowned while anointing river water

BULAWAYO: Gift Dube, a 19-year-old prophet at 12 Apostolic Faith Mission Church drowned on Sunday morning during a baptism ceremony while trying to save one of his cousins and congregant who had slipped into the water.

Dube’s mother, Mrs Thobekile Dube told reporters that her son had earlier prophesied that someone was going to die if congregants were not vigilant in prayer.

She added:

He led the prayer session until he said each and every one of us should find their place where they should pray alone, telling God what is in their hearts. He also warned that the waters had dark spirits hence they should pray because someone could remain (die) in the water.

She said that the incident left her puzzled as other church members fell in a trance and only recovered when Gift had drowned. She added that Gift who was in Form Three at Amhlophe High School in Bulawayo was retrieved by the police sub-aqua unit from the shallow end of the stream and his body was still upright instead of floating sideways.

Police spokesperson Chief Inspector Precious Simango said that reports they received suggested that Gift was the first to get into the water intending to anoint it but lost control and drowned instantly.