Police have rescued 251 children at Lily Farm in Nyabira after arresting prophet and leader of the Yohan Masoi Ishishano Apostolic sect, Ismail Chukurungirwa, popularly known as Madzbaba Ismail and his seven other accomplices.
The eight were arrested for various criminal activities including abuse of minors.
Chokurungirwa (56 years old) was arrested along with church members, Shinjirai Ngawafune (42 years old), James Gwenzi (55 years old), Zebediah Cejudo, Devlodge Katsande (45 years old), Aaron Chukurungirwa (47 years old), and Wonder Kabaya (41 years old), and Seribinho Chikuronhi (53 years old).
National Police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the case and said investigations are still ongoing.
“The arrest comes after a police raid on the farm on March 12, 2024. Police investigations established that 246 out of 251 children under the age of 18 found at the farm did not have birth certificates and were being used to perform their work.” Various physical activities for the benefit of the sect’s leadership.
“The police proved that all the school-age children were not enrolled in formal education and were being abused as cheap labor and doing manual labor in the name of teaching life skills. 16 graves were found at the shrine, including nine graves for adults and seven graves for children. All burials took place without prior registration with the office The Registrar General under the Births and Deaths Registration Act, Chapter 5:02 or without burial orders under the Burials and Cremations Act, Chapter 5:03. He added that further details will be revealed in due course as investigations continue. Announces
Madzbaba Ismail’s daughter Lisa defended her father’s actions to establish a religious sect in Nyabira and rejected allegations that many women and children were abused at the complex. pic.twitter.com/lONg4KbQEX
– H Metro (@HMetro_) March 15, 2024
