admin
Tendai Rupapa Senior Court Reporter
RULING in a case in which RMG Independent End Time message leader Robert Martin Gumbura faces seven counts of rape is expected today at the Harare Magistrates’ Courts. Gumbura, who has been in custody since November last year, denies the charges. Judgment was postponed on January 8 — the initial verdict date — when the court inspected Gumbura’s Marlborough mansion.
Regional magistrate Mr Hoseah Mujaya then set January 24 as the judgment date but ruling was again deferred as the magistrate said he was not feeling well. The State closed its case after leading evidence from 12 witnesses, including the alleged victims.
Gumbura, who has 11 wives and 30 children, claims the sexual encounters with the complainants were consensual. His lawyers, Ms Rekai Maposa and Mr Emmanuel Samundombe, said Gumbura intended to marry the women.
Meanwhile, the trial of Gumbura’s secretary Tendai Ganyani, who is accused of possessing pornographic materials, has been postponed to Monday next week when she will be put on her defence.
Ganyani (26) lives at Gumbura’s Marlborough house and faces charges of possessing 16 pornographic DVDs, two pornographic magazines and 57 pornographic pictures.
Prosecutor Mr Michael Reza yesterday called his third and last witness, Detective Constable Caroline Mumba, who was part of the team that recovered the said materials at Gumbura’s house.
Det Const Mumba corroborated Assistant Inspector Tichavengwa’s evidence as presented the previous day.
She said there were more than 90 women and children at the house and all were interviewed by the Social Services Department. This was after the department received reports that the women were being abused.
Magistrate Mr Donald Ndirowei deferred the matter to Monday next week.
Online Reporter