A self-acclaimed prophetess, Pelagia Chingwena, has been arrested for ordering the exhumation of the body of a three-month-old baby in Zimbabwe.
Chingwena, leader of an Apostolic church, is reported to have ordered the exhumation of the deceased baby after claiming that she would be resurrected after her prayers.
This was after the family of the deceased failed to await the prophetess before burial, as instructed.
The bishop of the church together with the prophetess and other church members are alleged to have gathered and prayed for the corpse the whole night.
The prophetess is said to have spoken in tongues and fallen into a trance, but all to no avail.
It is reported that the suspects took the corpse away for the whole night, for further rituals without the permission of the family.
The Herald reports that the deceased baby was reburied after Chingwena’s prayers and tongue-speaking failed to resurrect her.
The same day, the family notified the police and an arrest was facilitated.
The police arrested Chingwena as well as two other members for violating a grave and body in contravention of Section 110 and 111 of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act.