Online Reporter
Chief Court Reporter
A Glenview pastor from the Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) has been acquitted of indecent assault charges.
He was accused of caressing a female congregant on church grounds.
Pastor Tawanda Murombedzi, who had contested both his conviction and a nine-month jail term handed down by Mbare magistrate Ms Batiraishe Zishiri, walked free following a dramatic courtroom reversal.
The case reached a turning point when a two-judge panel, Justices Davison Foroma and Pisirayi Kwenda, ruled in Pastor Murombedzi’s favour after the prosecution conceded errors in the original trial.
“It is ordered by consent that the appeal be and is hereby allowed,” Justice Foroma declared, delivering the court’s decision.
“The appellant’s conviction is quashed. The verdict of not guilty and acquitted is substituted.”
The pastor’s original conviction stemmed from alleged events on December 8, 2025. Court records stated that Pastor Murombedzi had sought the permission of the victim’s mother to enlist her assistance in church cleaning duties.
At approximately 10:30 am, while alone with the victim, the pastor allegedly hugged her before proceeding to touch her inappropriately.
The court was told how the victim repeatedly begged him to stop as he fondled her breasts and private parts, professing his affection for her.
The incident reportedly escalated when the pastor forced her to touch his privates, causing the victim to break down in tears.
A knock on the church door interrupted the alleged assault, providing her a chance to escape.
Following the ordeal, the victim informed her mother, sparking Pastor Murombedzi’s arrest and subsequent prosecution.
At his trial, the pastor’s defence lawyer, Mr Brian Kashangura, raised significant doubts about the credibility of the allegations.
He denied indecently assaulting the complainant, insisting her account was fabricated for reasons “known to herself.”
His defence argued her behaviour was inconsistent with that of a victim. They noted she did not attempt to flee or seek immediate help, despite being in proximity to other church members and within walking distance of her home, approximately 800 meters.
Pastor Murombedzi further highlighted inconsistencies, asserting that after the alleged incident, he escorted the complainant home in what he described as a “normal and calm manner.”
According to him, such conduct was uncharacteristic of someone who had just committed an assault. He suggested the accusations might stem from her dissatisfaction over being recently excluded from attending a Sunday school camp.
Despite the trial court’s initial verdict, which sentenced him to serve nine months of a 12-month term (with three months suspended on condition of good behaviour), the higher court found the conviction flawed. The pastor”s acquittal concluded a case that had sparked considerable controversy.
