HARARE – Eight men drowned and three others were rescued last Saturday during a baptism ceremony in Rushinga, Mashonaland Central, police said.
The dead men, aged between 21 and 50, included two brothers.
Police were called to a pool in the Mazowe River after 10AM on Saturday following reports that multiple people had drowned.
The eight bodies had been pulled out of the water and covered with white cloth.
Witnesses said congregants of the Nguwo Tsvuku (Jerusarema) Church were attending a church service when the church’s leader decided to anoint a new baptist.
He threw a scepter into the pool and said whoever retrieved it first would be the new baptist. Eleven men took up the challenge.
“They fell into a trance and started jumping into the water and they drowned,” witness George Kamhekete told reporters.
“We managed to rescue three men but the rest drowned. The matter was reported to police and the bodies were taken to Chimhanda Clinic mortuary.”
Local MP Tendai Nyabani said: “They had travelled for about 10 kilometers to the river. The prophets misjudged the depth and were in a trance. There were thousands of congregants waiting to be baptised.”
He said seven of the dead were from Rushinga, while one was from Domboshava.
