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Court Reporter
Judgment in the matter of RMG Independent End Time Message pastor Martin Robert Gumbura, accused of raping seven women from his church, will be made today. The man of the cloth, who is facing nine counts of rape, denied the charges claiming that some of the victims were his lovers.
Gumbura appeared before regional magistrate Mr Hoseah Mujaya, while Harare area public prosecutor Mr Jonathan Murombedzi prosecuted.
Mr Murombedzi closed the State’s case after leading evidence from 12 witnesses, including the alleged victims.
In his defence, the pastor who has 11 wives and 30 children, said he had consensual sex with five of the women including his sixth wife’s young sister.
Gumbura’s lawyers Ms Rekai Maposa and Mr Emmanuel Samundombe said Gumbura intended to marry the women and that the rape charges did not stick.
Gumbura, however, accused Spoken Word Ministries leader Pastor Godwin Chitsinde of conniving with the victims to fabricate rape charges against him.
Testifying in court, Chitsinde denied masterminding the arrest of Gumbura.
Chitsinde told the court that he started receiving reports of Gumbura’s sex escapades in 1988, before receiving information in 1997 that he had raped his cousin.
Online Reporter