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Police rescues 17 children allegedly held in captivity by pastor – reports
1:30 CAT | 23 Feb 2018
File photo: Cabeça de Velho mountain
The Mozambican police (PRM) have detained an alleged religious leader who was holding a group of 17 boys, aged from 9 to 16, in his home in the central Mozambican city of Chimoio, a spokesman has announced.
“We are facing a crime of false imprisonment. He has been holding the children since November, and we don’t even know how he fed them,” PRM provincial spokesman Mateus Mindu said.
The children were reportedly divided into groups and kept in captivity alternately, presumably so as not to raise suspicions among their parents, but it was they who ultimately reported the case to the police, added the PRM spokesman.
The children, all male, were between nine and 16 years old, and, according to Mindu, took part in religious rituals.
Speaking to journalists, the alleged pastor said he formed a church, which “still has no name”, on his own initiative. The group prayed at his house or on nearby mountains . Chiongo and Cabeça de Velho.
“I’ve never forbidden them [the children] to go to home,” he added.
“The church has no name yet. We just pray. When someone enters this church he is baptised and must speak in tongues. This is our principle. I have been called by God to follow his path. I was also told by a spirit to recruit some brothers, in this case, children. I got some and I teach them at home. Sometimes we climb the mountain to pray,” the man, cited in an AIM report,told the press.
“I teach children to repent and get rid of sin to go to God. I managed to convince some children and over time began to call some more, “he said.
The detainee denies that the children were deprived of going to their homes because of living with him. “I’ve never forbidden them to go home. I always told them to respect their elders. ”
The mother of one of the minors said her son has been in the alleged church for more than two months and has since become disobedient, constantly insulting and refusing to listen to his parents.
Therefore, Flora Morreria says she is very disappointed with the pastor who, instead of educating her son, has instilled evil principles in him.
“He teaches that going to school is a sin. [Teaches them] not to accept any teaching from their parents. Watching television is also a sin, among others. The pastor has never expressed interest in meeting the parents or guardians of the children. We believe he intended to take our children for other purposes, “said Flora Moreira.
Mindú took the opportunity to urge parents and guardians to exercise greater vigilance and denounce any suspicious acts in order to guarantee public order and security within the communities.
The police, who intervened after receiving reports about “the alleged pastor of an unrecognised church recruiting children to his home”, are overseeing the return of the minors to their families.
Source: Lusa / AIM Moçambique
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