Religious sect in Zimbabwe buries 40 children under crops
Shocking reports from Zimbabwe have emerged, revealing that a religious sect hid more than 40 child graves under tomato beds. The police were alerted by, among others, the neighbours of the families belonging to this group, who noticed that their children were losing playmates every day.
8:36 AM EDT, June 19, 2024
Families that belong to the apostolic community in Hurungwe, in Mashonaland West Province in Zimbabwe, secretly buried more than 40 children and, to erase the traces, turned the graves into beds of sweet potatoes and tomatoes, informed Celestino Dhege, head of the provincial health services.
The Zimbabwean health services discovered the hidden burials while responding to reports of an ongoing epidemic of cholera, mumps, and measles in the region. Concurrently, neighbours of the families in the sect noticed the daily disappearance of their children's playmates.
"Children disappeared at night"
Within a few days, five children between the ages of 1.5 years and 12 years disappeared from one household. Back in May, when the first cases of the epidemic appeared, one family lost seven children without informing anyone.
- Villagers saw new vegetable gardens and green beds every morning, unaware that beneath the fertile soil lay another dead child who had been denied medical help - stated Dr. Dhege during last week's meeting with provincial authorities in Chinhoyi.
An investigation conducted by the head of the provincial health services found that some members of the apostolic communities were hiding their sick children at home, denying them access to medical care. When they died, they were secretly buried at night, and tomatoes or potatoes were immediately planted on the graves.
Child's death "of no significance"
- For them, a child's death is not as significant as it seems to us. They refuse vaccinations and treatment, expelling those who oppose them from the community. Recently, a 23-year-old mother was abandoned by her husband, disowned by her parents, and expelled from the church by the community because she sought medical help for her dying nine-year-old child - said Dhege.
Local authorities have called on lawmakers to pass laws protecting children from parents who shun modern medicine.
- It is high time to apply punitive measures to deter potential offenders and protect the youngest - said Dhege.
Tragedy of children on the "prophet's" farm
These are not the only shocking reports about this sect.
In March of this year, the police reported that 56-year-old Ishmael Chokurongera, a self-proclaimed prophet who led a sect of more than 1,000 members, was arrested. Their farm was located about 21 miles northwest of Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe.
It was discovered that 251 children lived there, and 246 of them did not have birth certificates. These children "were used for various physical tasks for the sect leaders".
The man was arrested on charges of child molestation and forced labor.
