Terrence Mawawa, Chivhu| A prominent local pastor with a pentecostal church was last week severely bashed by a woman at a funeral as he preached against witchcraft.
Pastor Petros Chatikobo of the United Body of Christ Internatonal Church (UBC), was beaten up by the woman as he spoke against withcraft and the late Netsai Chipare’s relatives felt the clergyman had accused them of bewitching the deceased.The late Netsai was a member of Chatikobo’ s church.
The incident delayed the burial programme as Spiwe Chipare, the elder sister of the late Netsai charged towards Chatikobo and grabbed his shirt by the collar and shook him aggressively, until some buttons fell off the shirt. The pastor’s aides restrained her from further harming him.
She accused Chatikobo of lying that someone had bewitched her sister. She also shouted obscenities at Chatikobo.
Chatikobo said he was shocked by the incident.
“I have never encountered this before. Castigation of witchcraft is in the bible, the book of Matthew to be precise. I never mentioned anyone’s name, neither did I accuse anyone of bewitching the late Netsai,” he said.
Sources at the funeral told ZimEye.com Chatikobo castigated witchcraft in front of the mourners in preparation for Netsai’s burial. It is understood the mourners felt the clergyman had accused them of bewitching Netsai. There was commotion as mourners were deeply divided over the clerygyman’s remarks.