In a tragic turn of events, a 26-year-old Seke woman drowned in Manyame River in Zimbabwe during a cleansing ceremony.
The people, who were with her, believed that she had been grabbed by a mermaid, thus, they didn’t try to rescue her.
Rutendo Nhemachena is believed to have been possessed by a mermaid spirit before she turned violent and jumped into the river where the leading prophet, Isaac Manyemba, 50, was cleansing men and women with his aide only identified as Mai Manyika or Madzimai Jennifer.
Manyemba and Manyika were reportedly overpowered by Nhemachena who plunged to her death.
Manyemba confirmed the tragic event saying Nhemachena overpowered him and seemed like she was possessed by a mermaid spirit.
“The two convinced me and I led them to the river where we attended to a number of men and women when Nhemachena suddenly came into the river possessed.
“She pushed all of us and we failed to handle her before she immersed me and disappeared into the water.”
He said they believed she was abducted by a mermaid and they decided to wait for 3:pm but she failed to show up
“We were comforted by one woman who claimed that her child was once taken by a mermaid when he was seven years old and returned from water at the age of 14,” he added.
Another person told them that her child had been grabbed by a mermaid as well and came back after one week.
Manyemba then informed the Mayambara village head who advised him to take the issue to Chitungwiza police station.
Nhemachena family spokesperson Patience Gwebede denied suggestions that the deceased was abducted by a mermaid.
She said the deceased was going to be buried in Chihota after a post mortem.
“We are expecting the law to take its course as well as get an explanation from the traditional healer or Madzibaba and Madzimai who were conducting the cleansing ceremony,” she added.
Manyemba is said to have failed to give the family an explanation and has been unreachable since.
He said they were not aware of a story linking the deceased to a mermaid spirit.
Manyemba works under the banner of Johanne Masowe yeNguwotsvuku.
National police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi, confirmed the mishap and said the police are still investigating the circumstances leading to the drowning.