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 fatally flogging a congregant during a controversial “healing” ritual.

The bishop, Crispen Gomori, was found guilty after a church session turned deadly, leaving a woman dead and her husband severely injured.

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

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

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

During the court proceedings, Beitbridge resident magistrate Takudzwa Gwazemba oversaw the case, with prosecutor Tawanda Chigavazira presenting evidence that underscored the brutality of the assault.

In his defense, Gomori claimed the couple had willingly consented to the flogging as part of their religious faith. However, the court determined that the level of violence went far beyond acceptable limits.

Gomori admitted to delivering seven strokes to the male victim, insisting it was a form of spiritual healing. Despite his claims, the court found him guilty of causing the woman’s death and inflicting severe injuries on her husband.