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Daniel Nemukuyu Senior Court Reporter
JAILED RMG Independent End Time Message Church leader Robert Martin Gumbura has filed heads of argument in his bail application at the High Court, arguing he has no intention to abscond court if granted freedom while appealing a 40-year jail term.
Gumbura said his 11 wives and 30 children looked up to him for survival and he would not try to flee the court’s jurisdiction.
Gumbura was last month imprisoned for 40 years for rape and possession of pornographic material.
In the heads of argument filed by his lead counsel, Advocate Thembinkosi Magwaliba on Tuesday, Gumbura said he had several properties and other business interests in Zimbabwe, and these ensured he would not skip bail.
“The personal circumstances of the applicant are such that absconding is absolutely not a possibility.
“He loves his family and he loves particularly his wives. They love him too according to his testimony during the trial.
“He has sufficient material possessions to create real bond with the country. He is a mature man aged 57, a husband of 11 wives and a father of 30 children,” reads part of the heads of argument.
Adv Magwaliba added: “Applicant is a man of the cloth and pastors over a church congregation. This has been his source of livelihood. It has been his primary vocation and he would not be induced to abandon it.”
Gumbura said he believed that prospects for success on appeal against conviction and sentence were high because State witnesses lied to the court leading to his wrongful conviction.
In all instances of the alleged rape, Adv Magwaliba argued, there were no threats of any harm to the complainants.
It was also claimed that some religious leaders like Pastor Innocent Nehohwa did not like Gumbura and influenced the women to falsely incriminate him.
Justice Joseph Musakwa yesterday deferred the bail hearing to tomorrow to allow prosecutor Mr Editor Mavuto to respond to the heads of argument.
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