Madzibaba Ishmael sentenced to 20 years in jail for raping a 15-year old girl

Apostolic sect leader Ishmael Chokurongerwa, widely known as Madzibaba Ishmael, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for raping a 15-year-old congregant.

Presiding magistrate Mrs Estere Chivasa condemned Chokurongerwa’s actions, describing them as heinous and a gross abuse of power under the guise of religion.

The court heard that Chokurongerwa had impregnated three victims, but none of them directly accused him during the trial, instead providing false names of the alleged perpetrators.

However, DNA tests conducted by the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) conclusively established that Chokurongerwa fathered three children with the victims.

Initially, Chokurongerwa faced three counts of rape. However, Magistrate Chivasa acquitted him of two charges, as the victims involved in those cases had reached the age of consent by the time the incidents occurred.

*Gweru man kills his wife over cheating suspicions, as mother-in-law watches*

HARARE, Dec. 23

A 26‑year‑old woman, Patience Madula, was allegedly murdered by her husband, Brighton Kahlanga (31), in Village Chinyama, Chiwundura in Gweru, on 20 December 2025, following accusations of infidelity.

Zimbabwe Republic Police Midlands provincial spokesperson Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko confirmed the incident, saying the violent altercation left Madula with deep cuts across her body. The attack reportedly occurred around 11pm while Kahlanga’s mother was present. She fled the scene for her own safety.

Kahlanga is said to have phoned his brother‑in‑law during the confrontation, threatening to kill Madula and then commit suicide, claiming she had a boyfriend. By the time the brother‑in‑law arrived, Madula was lying unconscious in a pool of blood, while Kahlanga had disappeared.

Police investigations are ongoing, and authorities have appealed to the public for information on Kahlanga’s whereabouts.

Inspector Mahoko urged communities to resolve disputes peacefully and to respect the sanctity of human life.