Silas Nduvheni
LIMPOPO – Angry villagers recently set the Comfort Christian Worship Church alight together with the pastor’s house, alleging the pastor is practising satanism in Dzimauli-Matshavhawe village in the Mutale region.
The 53-year-old pastor, Jane Nndwambi and three children, narrowly escaped death and she is now in hiding.
A civic leader, Mercy Sigwadi, said the trouble started when Nndwambi invited a group of young children in her church to pray for them and allegedly kidnapped one of them.
“She allegedly drew blood from her body using a syringe, called maginari in Tshivenda. Some members claimed they saw the pastor place the blood in a bottle and she apparently hid it inside her house,” she said.
“We suspect the pastor drinks the blood, and uses it for satanism; these actions can’t be the work of God, she is clearly working for the devil.
“Residents resolved the pastor must not come back or live in the village any longer,” Sigwadi said.
Speaking telephonically from her hiding place, Nndwambi denied the allegations she practises satanism in her church and said she is a servant of God who prays for and cures sick people, and nothing else.
“I never drank anyone’s blood, but I suspect those accusing me of working for the devil are jealous of my God-given talent of praying and curing the sick people,” she said.
She claimed the syringes (maginari) are an emblem of the church and are not used to draw blood as people claimed.
Speaking on behalf of the Mutale police, WO Tshilidzi Nnyambeni, confirmed the incident and said a case of arson is being investigated and no arrests have been made as yet.
He warned the residents of Dzimauli village and the surrounding area to not take the law into their own hands.
They must rather be patient and wait for the police to properly investigate the matter.
