The death has been announced of a Zimbabwean woman and her mother after they allegedly drank a lethal concoction that was given to them by a self-proclaimed prophet.
iHarare, reports that South Africa based Ms. Sithandazile Nyathi, 30 and her mother Ms. Thokozani Ncube, 51,died shortly after drinking a ‘cleansing’ concoction they allegedly got from a prophet named Brian Mpofu from Cowdray Park suburb over the weekend.
The mother, Ms. Ncube, had accompanied her daughter to see the prophet. It was claimed in the report that the duo had approached the prophet to express Sithandazile’s problems including marriage pressures as suitors were not coming for her.
The deceased’s aunt, Seyiso Ncube, revealed that Sithandaziles had been in contact with the prophet since she was in South Africa.
Speaking to the publication, Ms. Ncube’s sister, Ms. Elizabeth Ncube said:
‘We were not there when this occurred but what we have been told is that they went to consult a prophet in Cowdray Park on Saturday. Sithandazile is the one who sought the services of the prophet and requested her mother to accompany her. They went there with our 15-year-old nephew who narrated to us what really transpired.
He said the prophet gave the three of them some substance to induce vomiting claiming that he was casting out a bad spell. After that, he gave them a concoction consisting of bluestone, aloe vera, and lemon which he said they were going to drink at home the following day before eating anything.
Prior to drinking the mixture, we are told that the prophet sent them a message, instructing them not to give it to the boy but share his dosage. Soon after drinking the mixture they started complaining that it was making them bleary, complaining of stomach cramps. Sithandazile instructed the boy to give her a bucket so that she could induce vomiting.
My sister was of the view that probably that was how the medicine worked and she did not attempt to induce vomiting. When the boy brought the bucket, Sithandazile was already struggling to breathe prompting the boy to call his uncle who is my late sister’s husband.
We are told before my sister’s husband could attend to Sithandazile, he discovered that his wife (my sister) was not responding when he called her in her bedroom and when he went in to check on her he discovered that she had white fluids coming out through her mouth and nose.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Chief Inspector Precious Simango also confirmed that they are investigating the issue.
‘Yes, we received a case where mother and her daughter died after drinking some poisonous substance they were given by a self-proclaimed prophet. I can’t say much at the moment as it could jeopardize our investigations. We have, however, arrested a suspect in connection with the pair’s death.’