The street newspaper sign that started this issue:

Then came my ‘tongue-in-cheek” follow up:

If you follow this blog, you will remember that I promised my readers that I would get to the bottom of the snake in the fridge affair. I am now in a situation that permits me to briefly tell you what took place on July 2014.

As documented by the Harare local newspapers, a child was seriously ill and his father sought “divine intervention” to cure him. He consulted some “Prophets” to help him with the problem. Two came and, after checking the situation, they diagnosed that the child’s illness was due to “evil spirits”. They proposed to cleanse the house where the child lived to rid it of said spirits at a cost of USD 1,000.

After an agreement was reached, the two “Prophets” arrived with the necessary tools in a bag and started the cleansing process. This involved singing hymns and sprinkling water. Later on they asked the house occupants to go to the shop to buy candles, milk and eggs that were also needed to complete the operation. When the house owners returned, the “Prophets” were very agitated as the evil spirits had -reportedly- transformed into a snake that was loose in the house.

After a while the snake was found in the fridge. As the operation looked suspicious, the Police was called in and the sham discovered! It then became clear that the false “Prophets” had rented a tame cobra for USD 80 and used it to carry out their scam! They are now in Police hands and being charged under the Animal Act for abusing the snake!