A prominent Zimbabwean cleric, who prophesied that President Robert Mugabe would die this year, was on Thursday denied bail by a Harare magistrate on charges of offending other religions.
Pastor Patrick Mugadza, 46, of the Remnant Church torched a storm when he predicted that Zimbabwe’s longtime ruler would die on October 17 this year. The cleric urged 92 yea-old Mugabe to confess to his sins and pray hard to avoid the impending death.
Magistrate Vongai Muchuchuti ruled that the pastor had the propensity to commit crimes when he was on bail after finding that Mugadza committed the alleged offense while on bail on two other offences in which he was charged with criminal nuisance.
Mugadza was also on bail on charges of wearing the southern African country’s national flag around his waist during a protest.
One of his attorneys, Obey Shava, left the court in stitches after he asked the investigating officer in the current case when President Mugabe would die.
“Why do you say that President Mugabe is not going to die on October 17? So are you challenging God’s power?” asked the attorney.
However, officer Mafion Muchena said he could not respond to that question, arguing that he was not aware of the status of Mugabe’s health. Mugabe often visits Singapore for his medical treatment routines.
The magistrate ordered Mugadza to return to court on February 3 for commencement of his trial.
Meanwhile, his attorneys indicated that they may appeal the magistrate’s decision to deny him bail.
Pastor Mugabe was not new to controversy. In 2015, he staged a one-man protest at the ruling Zanu-PF party’s annual conference in Victoria Falls demanding that Mugabe step down for failing to run Zimbabwe’s affairs.
Mugabe has ruled Zimbabwe with an iron-fist since the country attained its independence from Britain in 1980.
