By Dumisani Ndlovu
A 35-year-old church prophet was recently sentenced to 315 hours of community service for assaulting church members who he said had gossiped about him.
Spring of Living Waters Ministries Prophet Simabyu Shiri pleaded guilty to assault charges when he appeared before magistrate Cheryl Tembo at the Kwekwe Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
The man of God was represented by Kwekwe lawyer Wisdom Mehlo and pleaded guilty for assaulting security members and a 54-year-old woman, for not following church protocols and spreading gossip about him.
Magistrate Tembo however, sentenced Prophet Shiri to 12 months imprisonment of which three months were suspended on condition that he does not commit a similar offence in the next five years.
The remaining nine months were sus- pended on condition that he performs 315 hours of com- munity service at Mbizo Police Station starting 6 March 2024.
The other two cases in which he was accused of assaulting Peace Tapfumaneyi and Takudzwa Dube were dismissed following lack of evidence.
Accoring to state outline, on February 4, at around 3.30 pm, there was a meeting for security members at Emthonjeni Primary School in Mbizo 5, where the security leader Pastor Duriko reported that the complainants Peace Tapfumaneyi and Takudzwa Dube, both of Mbizo 15, were not following church protocols.
It is alleged that the man of God, Shiri became frustrated by the news and slapped Dube and Tapfumaneyi several times on the face with open hands.
The duo however, did not sustain any visible injuries and were referred to Kwekwe General Hospital for medical examination.
The court was further told that on February 14 at around 9 am, Prophet Shiri went to the church in Mbizo 5, where he invited the 54-year-old complainant, Violet Ndhleleni of Mbizo 8 and two other church members identified as Mai Ndlovu and Mai Mutema, to his house in Mbizo 4.
“Upon arrival at accused’s place of residence, the ac- cused started to ask the complainant why she was gossiping about him with other church members.
“The complainant tried to explain (why) to the accused but this did not go well with him who then started to slap the complainant several times on the face and on the back with open hands,” said the Prosecutor.
As a result of the assault, Ndhleleni complained of painful cheeks and was referred to the hospital for medical examination.
