A prophet who took a woman's money for prayer has shocked her after doing an entirely different thing with it.
File photo used only for illustrative purpose
A 37-year-old Zimbabwean prophet who took a woman's $ 3 100 saying he was going to pray for it ended stealing the cash, New Zimbabwe reports.
The prophet was however jailed on Wednesday for committing the act.
Leonard Kambazinga of Ilafa in Lalapanzi was given the money by Esther Sunday, a cross border trader so that he could pray for it.
Kambazinga, however, converted the money to personal use.
According to New Zimbabwe, a Gweru magistrate Judith Taruvinga sentenced Kambazinga to four years but suspended one year on condition that he pays back $3 020 to Sunday on or before March 31.
Kambazinga's co-accused whose name was given as Shainai pleaded not guilty and was remanded in custody to March 3 for trial.
Prosecutors told the court that on February 3 this year Sunday went to visit her sister in Lalapanzi.
Sunday came across Kambazinga who told her that he had been told by a spirit that she wanted to buy something big but was failing to do so.
After believing his prophecy, Sunday told Kambazinga that she had $3 100 and wanted to buy a kombi but was failing to do so.
Kambazinga then arranged a visit to where Sunday was staying, told her to wrap the money in a white cloth before praying for it.
He then told Sunday not to untie the cloth until three months had lapsed.
But on February 10, Kambazinga visited Sunday and told her that he again wanted to pray for the money.
He told everyone to leave the room where he was praying and that is when Shainai entered and was allegedly given the money which he put in his small bag before leaving.
Kambazinga then placed pieces of paper in the white cloth before tying it and called Sunday not to untie before four months.
But the following day Sunday's friend told her that she was suspicious of Kambazinga and his colleague and the two untied the cloth and found all the money gone.
A report was made to the police leading to the duo's arrest and subsequent recovery of $80 which had been given to Kambazinga's wife by Shainai.