THE widow of Apostle Charles Chiriseri, Pastor Petunia is in shock following successive deaths of three men accused of looting goods and cash at the accident scene.

A close relative speaking on condition of anonymity said Pastor Petunia has since dismissed claims that Apostle Chiriseri’s spirit was exacting vengeance on the accused.

“She believes God came to give life and life in abundance as in John 10 and not to bring death. So she does not even believe in praying for people to die, prophesying or even declaring that they should die. To her it is just evil, horrible.

“As a family grounded in that word people are in shock but what God says is what He will do. He is the one who said vengeance is mine,” the source said.

According to the relative, US$200, three brand new cell phones and a laptop were stolen at the scene of the accident.

In addition the source said the phone allegedly stolen by the late bus conductor had been traced after it had been given to a relative as an inheritance at the deceased’s funeral wake.

“I heard that a police officer told Pr Petunia that they traced the phone to a given address but the address had been non-existent. But the second time it is said the phone had been traced to the wife of the older brother of the deceased who had received it as inheritance during the funeral wake.

“When she was being asked who was to be contacted she said there were three cellphones in the car. But the people at the scene kept saying they had searched everywhere and found nothing after going back twice. That is when she realised that the phones had been stolen those first 30 minutes when the Kurai Bus passed by,” the source revealed.

The source highlighted that in family conversations, Pst Petunia had revealed that she was on WhatsApp when the accident happened and when assistance was rendered about 30 minutes after the accident she was conscious of what was happening.

He died on admission at United Bulawayo Hospitals on the same day. Another suspect, a Kurai Bus Service Conductor, Forget Chikweya who allegedly stole a Samsung S6 died on November 9 while Honest Hleza, a fire-fighter with Bulawayo Fire Brigade who allegedly stole a laptop died in December last year.

This is the same spot where Mkhokheli Mpofu, a police officer who was set to appear in court on March 28 for allegedly stealing $200 from Apostle Chiriseri’s corpse was recently hit by a car while manning a roadblock a fortnight ago.

“They stole a brand new Samsung which Pst Petunia was still paying for on contract, a new iPhone which Apostle had bought for himself from America and another old iPhone which was giving him problems and a brand new laptop,” the relative said.

“They stole a brand new Samsung which Pst Petunia was still paying for on contract, a new iPhone which Apostle had bought for himself from America and another old iPhone which was giving him problems and a brand new laptop,” the relative said.

“He in turn had given it to his wife who the moment she placed her sim card was tracked and confessed to the police how she got it. That’s when the police found out that the deceased was a bus conductor with Kurai Bus Service.

“God being God just wants to clean up this nation because obviously these things have been happening for a long time. And I believe it takes a true man of God to bring exposure to the truth. But as a family no one is wishing death on anyone. We actually pray for the families of those who died,” the source said.

HPMI spokesperson, Pastor Davison Svuure said Apostle Chiriseri had nothing to do with the deaths of the accused.

“We believe vengeance is God’s as scriptures say in Deuteronomy 32:35 that, ‘Beloved never avenge yourselves but leave the way open for God’s wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay (requite) says the Lord’.

“It is God alone who decides what He wants to do with issues. He is God by Himself. Whether the suspects were guilty of theft or not, only God knows. From a biblical point of view we believe that at death, the spirit and the body separate.

The body goes to the soil where it came from and the spirit of those that died in righteousness goes to a special place where our Lord God preserves them until the day of the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

We believe our Apostle is in that place. It is important to note that according to Ecclesiastes 9:5-10 particularly verse 6.

“This speaks to the fact that the late Apostle Charles Chiriseri could by no means have had anything to do with what befell the now also late police officers,” Pst Svuure said.

However Pst Svuure said the Word of God had become flesh accomplishing what it was sent to fulfil.

“Here we see our faithful God’s promise that He will contend with those who contend with His loved ones (Isaiah 55:10-11; 49:25). He also says touch not my anointed and do my prophets no harm”.

“In Zachariah 2:8, God further says, ‘He that touches you, touches the apple of my eye’. That said we need to make it clear that as a church we do not share in rejoicing that the alleged offenders have died. We go by Proverbs 24:17-18. We instead pray for their families and loved ones.

“We also say, those that are guilty are free to repent and make things right with God. He is merciful and forgiving. – State Media