A FATHER who watched four of his children die of measles while he prayed for their recovery has been sent to jail for 18 months.
Elvis Tapiwa Mugusa, of Magunje village, was found guilty of breaching the Children's Protection and Adoption Act.
Karoi magistrate Elisha Singano slapped the Johanne Marange Apostolic sect member with a two-year jail term, but he provisionally set aside six months for "good behaviour".
The court was told that Mugusa ignored neighbours' pleas to have the suffering children treated.
The children were all below the age of 15.
The devout Mugusa said taking his children to a hospital for treatment would be against his religious convictions.
His church prescribes prayer and the use of ''holy water" to treat any ailment.
After the children died, the police were called and were able to save three of Mugusa's remaining children.
In the past year, measles has killed more than 200 un-vaccinated children in Zimbabwe.
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has been engaging the Apostolic Faith sect leaders in a bid to convince the church to participate in national vaccination campaigns.