Religion News Blog is a non-profit service providing academics, religion professionals and other researchers with religion & cult news

Religion news articles about religious cults, sects, world religions, and related issues

Navigation:

Search

Female cult members trial date set

Zimbabwe Chronicle, Zimbabwe
Mar. 28, 2006
www1.chronicle.co.zw

ReligionNewsBlog.com • Wednesday March 29, 2006

The 18 female members of the 32-member cult believed to be a break away from the Seventh Day Adventist Church, who are facing charges of contravening the Miscellaneous Offence Act and Criminal Procedures and Evidence Act were yesterday remanded to tomorrow for trial.

The female members again remained defiant and refused to go to the dock forcing the court to remand them while in the holding cells.

They are facing charges of disrupting the normal business of a bank in Bulawayo where they had been called by their leader, Patience Hama Ncube, who is in remand in prison.

Ten male members of the group, Jonathan Mkandla, Roderick Mbano, Thembelani Dube, Thabani Mguni, Theo Bekezela Mkandla, Darlington Ndaba Chimira, Hloniphani Sibanda, Antony Mandla, Thabani Edgar Dube and Simiso Dube, whose ages and addresses were not given, have since been convicted on their own pleas of guilty and sentenced by Bulawayo magistrate, Mr Lizwe Jamela.

They were each fined $500 000 (or two months in prison) on the first count of contravening the Miscellaneous Offence Act and $250 000 (or a month in prison) for contravening the Criminal Procedures and Evidence Act, when they refused to provide their names to the police on their arrest.

Last time the plea recording was brought to an abrupt stop after four of them queried some essential elements of the case. However, they also pleaded guilty.

Four juveniles, who were also part of the group have since been cautioned and discharged after they pleaded guilty. The four juveniles pleaded guilty, when they appeared before Bulawayo magistrate, Mr Robinson Mahachi, last month.

The women have vowed not to come out of prison even if they were granted bail as they said they were feeling good in prison and that God has a plan for their incarceration.