Bishop convicted for flogging congregant to death during ‘healing’ session

A 36-year-old bishop of the Zion Christian Church (ZCC) in Beitbridge, Zimbabwe, has been convicted for flogging a congregant to death during a controversial “healing” session. The bishop, identified as Crispen Gomori, was found guilty after a church session turned fatal, leaving a woman dead and her husband severely injured.

The incident occurred on March 6, 2023, when the victims, a married couple, visited the ZCC shrine in Beitbridge seeking spiritual healing. Upon their arrival, Gomori accused them of suffering from mental illness and subjected them to an extreme form of “treatment.” He ordered other congregants to chain the couple to a tree on the church premises.

The couple remained tied up until Gomori began the so-called healing session at 8 p.m. Using a leather whip, he repeatedly flogged them in a brutal session that lasted several hours. The woman succumbed to her injuries at around 4 a.m.

After realizing the woman had died, Gomori fled the scene, leaving her husband in critical condition. Authorities were alerted, and a police report was filed, leading to Gomori’s arrest. The male victim was taken to Beitbridge District Hospital for treatment, while the woman’s body was transported to the same hospital for a post-mortem examination.

During court proceedings, Beitbridge resident magistrate Takudzwa Gwazemba presided over the case, with prosecutor Tawanda Chigavazira presenting evidence highlighting the severity of the assault. Gomori defended himself by claiming the couple had consented to the flogging as part of their religious beliefs. However, the court ruled that the severity of the beating far exceeded acceptable limits.

Gomori admitted to administering seven strokes to the male victim, arguing it was a form of spiritual healing. Despite his defense, the court found him guilty of causing the woman’s death and severely assaulting her husband.