/ 27 January 2006

Zim’s ‘naked preachers’ nabbed

A Zimbabwean court on Wednesday charged two twin brothers with indecent exposure for walking around in goatskin loincloths while claiming to be divine messengers preaching about creation.

Tapiwanashe and Tafadzwanashe Fichani (22) were arrested on Wednesday while walking with only codpieces in a busy shopping centre in the posh Harare suburb of Mount Pleasant.

They were then brought before a Harare magistrate’s court for “appearing in a public place without wearing such articles of clothing as decency, custom and circumstance require”.

Magistrate Mishrod Guvamombe remanded them in custody to February 2 and ordered a psychiatric examination.

The twins claim they received a divine order to shed conventional apparel for goatskin flaps and abandon the comfort of their family home in a posh suburb to sleep in a chicken run.

The twins, who also admitted smoking marijuana, said they were on a mission to preach about creation. They were first arrested two weeks ago, but they were set free after paying a fine. — AFP