FORMER ZIMBABWEAN GANGSTER RENOUNCES ‘FAMILY BUSINESS’

Takawira Masendeke, 25, is known in Zimbabwe as a gangster and drug addict from a gangster family, but he’s getting out of the “family business,” he told RNWAfrica, according to a report in NewZimbabwe.

After a history of robberies, alcoholism and theft, Takawira underwent “an astounding transformation into a devout Christian” and is in training to become a pastor, the report said.

Takawira told RNWAfrica he learned a life of crime from his even-more infamous criminal brother, Edgar Masendeke – now dead.

“Edgar…occupies the popular imagination as one of Zimbabwe’s most feared robbers,” the report said. “He was executed in 2003 after a string of robberies, murder, rapes and almost every other conceivable heinous crime.”

Takawira said he started criminal life at age 10 after being introduced to it by Edgar. “He taught me to use force each time I wanted something. He groomed me like a soldier,” Takawira said.

Takawira said he comes from a family of criminals dating back to some of his ancestors, a “generational curse.” He said he has four surviving brothers who are all into crime. At the time of the interview, his brothers’ arrest for an alleged murder was featured in a newspaper story.

Takawira described being aided in his acts at the height of his criminal life with supernatural powers, or juju, in the form of fat extracted from a dead lion.

The fat, which is administered by witch doctors, is commonly used for inducing bravado among criminals and even gave the user a premonition of a police raid, NewZimbabwe reports.

“When the medicine is administered, you literally turn into a demon,” Takawira said. “I still cannot explain the strength that I would sometimes have when I ventured into these robberies.”

A doctor told Takawira it would be a miracle if he survived his drug and alcohol use.

But it was stealing that turned out to be hard to give up. Even after he decided to give up criminal life, he said he stole from his church mates.

Now that he’s a Christian and pastor-to-be, he said he wants to defy his friends who are still doing crime and touch the lives of young people bent on criminality.

“I regret not turning to God earlier in my life,” he said. “Since I repented, I have never dreamed of going back to my old ways. I sometimes meet my old friends driving posh cars, but I have never been tempted to rejoin them. I have made my decision, and it’s final.

“God willing, I would love to host a radio program where l would preach the gospel,” he said.