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Forced to
cancel Zimbabwe visit after abductions of his team ... Pastor Chris Okafor
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Security agents in
Zimbabwe allegedly detained two Nigerian pastors and blocked their leader,
Chris Okafor - who last year prophesied President Robert Mugabe's death - from
entering the country, reports said on Wednesday. According to News Day,
Okafor, the leader of the Liberation City World Outreach Ministries, reportedly
said in October last year that Zimbabwe would have a new president by March
this year.
The
prophecy may not have been well-received by Zimbabwean authorities, News Day
reported.
Okafor
is not the only "man of God" who has prophesied Mugabe's death over
the past few years. In January, a controversial but hugely popular Malawian
prophet, Austin Liabunya, predicted the supposed impending demise of Mugabe.
A
Malawi publication, the Maravi Post, reported at the time that Liabunya had
predicted, during a New Year’s Day service, that Mugabe would pass away this
year.
This
was not the first time the maverick prophet had forecast the end of Mugabe.
Taken
for questioning
Mugabe
death prophecies reportedly leave a bad taste in the mouths of friends and foes
of Zimbabwe's strongman.
According
to New Zimbabwe.com, seven members of Okafor’s church had arrived in Zimbabwe
on Sunday to prepare for the pastor's “grand” arrival at a conference convened
by local cleric, Joseph Magorimbo.
The
report said five of the Nigerians were deported instantly on arrival and the
other two, who arrived on a different flight, were allowed into the country.
The two were later taken for questioning, as was Magorimbo.
A
source privy to the incident told News Day that Magorimbo and the two Nigerians
were questioned for five hours, with Magorimbo accused of inviting Okafor.
A
source said security agents claimed, "Okafor prophesied something against
the president. But they have not said what it is Okafor said". The source
was quoted as saying, "Okafor was supposed to arrive tomorrow (Wednesday),
but he has since cancelled the trip".
Magorimbo,
the report said, was later released while the two Nigerians were bundled into a
truck and taken to an unknown destination.
Magorimbo's
lawyer, Jonathan Samkange, confirmed that state security agents had quizzed his
client and the two Nigerians.
Source: News24 |
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Zimbabwe's
President Robert Mugabe. Image by: Siphiwe Sibeko / Reuters
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CIO Abducts Nigerian Pastors, Blocks
Church Leader From Entering Country
News Day report:
The
dreaded Central Intelligence Organization (CIO) was Tuesday accused of
“abducting” two Nigerian churchmen who are in the country as an advance party
for self-styled “God’s Oracle” Chris Okafor.
Okafor
had dispatched from Nigeria about seven members of his church to Zimbabwe to
make preparations for his grand arrival for a conference convened by a local
cleric Joseph Magorimbo.
Five
of the Nigerians were reportedly deported on arrival early Sunday morning but
the other two who arrived on a different flight were allowed into the country following
a court order obtained by Magorimbo’s lawyer Jonathan Samkange.
But
the authorities late Monday reportedly took in Magorimbo and the two foreigners
who had been granted entry and “questioned them for hours”.
Samkange
who is in Namibia confirmed through one of his aides that “state security
agents had quizzed Magorimbo and the two foreigners”.
“Yes
we have been told that Magorimbo and the two Nigerian Pastors were to the
immigration department headquarters and questioned until midnight yesterday (Monday).
“About
nine people questioned them and accused Magorimbo of trying to smuggle into the
country a Nigerian Pastor who had made a negative prophesy about the President
(Robert Mugabe),” Samkange said.
He
said he had inquired with Assistant Regional Immigration Officer in charge of
Compliance and Enforcement, Francis Mabika as to what the problem was.
“He
told me it was not him and he had no say as to what was happening.
“My
clients told me they had been threatened and in fact we do not know where the Nigerians
are because when Magorimbo was released the two foreigners were taken away in a
truck and their whereabouts are unknown. We can only speculate,” Samkange said.
Okafor
leader of the Liberation City Chris Okafor World Outreach Ministries has, according
to Samkange, cancelled the trip following the threats and clear indications he
would not be allowed into the country.
According
to media reports, High Court Judge November Mtshiya early Sunday granted
Magorimbo and the two Nigerians a provisional order allowing them unfettered
entry into the country but immigration authorities reportedly declared they
would defy the order.
Samkange
on Tuesday accused Mabika of being in contempt of court.
“The
High Court granted an order in Mabika’s presence and he is now defying a lawful
order of the courts. It is called contempt,” the Zanu PF legislator said.
It could not be established
what prophesy Okafor had made that could have angered authorities but many
African “prophets” have at one time or another made predictions relating to
Mugabe’s death or departure from power.
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