Clements Momberume

Clements Momberume
Clements Momberume
Church	Johane Marange Apostolic Sect
Personal details
Parents	Johane Marange (father)

Clements Momberume is the leader of a splinter sect of the Johane Marange Apostolic Church called the Johanne Marange (Simon Branch). In 2014, Momberume was sued over adultery by his Bulawayo-based relative for allegedly bedding his second wife. He was involved in a dispute over the leadership of the Johane Marange Apostolic Church with his cousin Noah Taguta in the 1990s.

Background

He is the son of the late Johane Muchabaya Momberume. Clements Momberume is the direct sibling of the late Johane (Marange) Momberume who was the founder of the Johane Marange Apostolic Church. Noah Taguta was the son of Arnold Momberume who was an elder brother to founder Johane Momberume.^[1]

Leadership Dispute With Noah Taguta

In 2013, a dispute over the rights religious objects and other church paraphernalia between Noah Taguta and Clements Momberume was taken to the Supreme Court. Taguta was represented by Advocate Ray Goba.

The dispute between the two brothers was over:

2 tins of water,
3 pots,
2 wooden boxes containing glasses and a teapot,
11 priestly garments
7 church clothing
8 church belts.

Taguta filed a Supreme Court appeal after High Court Judge Alfas Chitakunye ruled in favour of Momberume in May 2013. However, Supreme Court judges Paddington Garwe, Marie-Anne Gowora and Antonia Guvava ruled that the order had been irregularly issued. ^[2]

Adultery & Rape Lawsuit

Momberume's Bulawayo-based nephew, Jasper Dhliwayo sued him for allegedly bedding his second wife. Dhliwayo approached the courts seeking US$10 000 from Momberume.

Dhliwayo and his wife, Mavis Sungayi Vilakazi, confirmed the case, while Momberume said it was church politics at play.

In his court papers, Dhliwayo said Momberume came to his house in August 2012 where he introduced him to his second wife, Mavis. Momberume then requested for her mobile number and also took a picture of her.

Dhliwayo said Clements Momberume would not communicate with him, but instead would tell his nephew's wife that he would be coming to Bulawayo. On April 10 2014, Momberume went to Bulawayo and met with Dhliwayo's wife at TM Hyper and drove to Greys Inn Hotel with her.

At the hotel, Momberume bought wine and gave Dhliwayo's wife. He bought mineral water for himself. He started to make some "prophecies" concerning Dhliwayo's wife. He started telling her that Dhliwayo was the one who was causing her to have miscarriages whenever her pregnancy reached seven months.

Momberume also alleged that his nephew had a big snake which he used to run his business. Dhliwayo had told Momberume about the miscarriages but when he was telling his nephew's wife about it, it was as if he was making a prophecy.

Dhliwayo said Momberume allegedly instilled fear in his wife by claiming that he (Dhliwayo) was sleeping with her for ritual purposes.

He also alleged that Dhliwayo was on ARV therapy. Having convinced Dhliwayo's wife with his lies, he later booked a room at the hotel and the two went to that room where they slept together on April 10, 2013, and April 12, 2013.

In May 2014, Clement Momberume’s appeal for the dismissal of the adultery claim against him was overruled by a Bulawayo magistrate Victor Mpofu.^[3]^[4]

In July 2015, Momberume was acquitted at the close of the state case by Bulawayo regional magistrate Mark Dzira.

Dzira concluded that the State had failed to prove a prima facie case against Momberume who was facing two counts of rape.

In November 2015, Prosecutor-General Johannes Tomana challenged Clements Momberume's acquittal. Prosecutor Timothy Makoni, who filed the application on behalf of Tomana sought an order to set aside Dzira's ruling.

He also wanted the matter to be remitted back to the regional magistrate for continuation of trial.^[5]

Noah Taguta Burial

On 20 April 2022, Momberume sought to interdict the burial of Noah Taguta at the Magistrates Court in Mutare.

Through his lawyers of Maunga Maanda and Associates, Clements Momberume, filed for a prohibitory interdict order, case number 353/22, with Saratiel Taguta and Titos Taguta as the first and second respondents respectively. Saratiel and Titos were brothers to the late Noah Taguta.

The matter was set down for further hearing on April 29, but an interim relief order was granted by Mutare magistrate Langton Mukwengi. In the application by Clements, he sought an order for the first and second respondents to be barred from interfering with the gravesite of his father, the late Johane Muchabaya Momberume at the southwestern side of the Chinyamukumba mountain range or the sacred summit of the mountain range in Taguta village, under Headman Mafararikwa, Chief Marange.

Part of the interim order read:

"Pending the return day of this matter, the 1st and 2nd respondents, their agents and proxies be, are hereby barred from pointing, marking and preparing for burial the grave of the late Noah Taguta (Momberume) or burying him at the burial site of the late Johane Muchabaya Momberume, which is at the south side of the western side of the Chinyamukumba mountain range in Taguta village, Headman Mafararikwa, Chief Marange."

The order further stated that the first and second respondents were barred from burying the late Noah Taguta at the sacred summit of the Chinyamukumbu mountain range.^[1]