Online Reporter
Zvikomborero Parafini
Court Reporter
THE rape trial involving faith healer Gathry Chirodzedo and his wife opened in the capital yesterday with the couple pleading not guilty.
Chirodzero is accused of raping a minor. His wife, Diana Chauke (37) and the complainant’s biological mother (45) (name withheld), also appeared in court as accomplices.
They appeared before Harare magistrate Estere Chivasa
The complainant is a 13-year-old female juvenile.
Chirodzero, who was dumped by his lawyer Professor Lovemore Madhuku, is now a self-actor in court.
In denying the allegations, he told the court that the child’s mother went to his residence seeking spiritual help because their children were having mental issues.
Chirodzero told the court that he charged her US$30, but the mother said she had US$10 on her and would pay the balance over time.
He helped them over time, and the money accrued to US$500, which they failed to pay, prompting them to fabricate these allegations against him.
Prosecutor Tracy Mundanga told the court that sometime in January 2026, the complainant was taken by her biological mother to the accused person’s home during the night.
Chirodzero, a known faith healer in the area, was reportedly attending to the complainant’s mentally ill sister.
During the healing session, Chirodzero allegedly demanded that the complainant’s mother provide him with a virgin girl, claiming he needed intimacy to heal the mentally challenged daughter.
The prosecutor said Chauke agreed with her husband’s idea, and even brought a gun, threatening the mother to comply.
According to the State, the complainant’s mother consented to the arrangement out of fear.
His wife, Chauke, told the court that she has been co-habiting with Chirodzero since 2015.
She told the court that in January, the mother of the complainant came to the couple’s shared residence with her children.
Their visit was not unusual as they would occasionally come to seek treatment from Chirodzero.
When they got there, Chirodzero instructed her to prepare sleeping arrangements for everyone, which she did and retired to bed.
She told the court that the following morning, Chirodzero’s 10-year-old son came to where she was sleeping and informed her that he had inadvertently entered one of the bedrooms and had seen him with a girl inside.
She proceeded to the bedroom and found the complainant alone, and she observed that the complainant’s underwear was soiled.
Feeling sympathy for her, she told the court that she gave her a clean pair of her own underwear and went her way.
She categorically denied ever wielding a firearm or threatening the complainant, or any person with a firearm, as alleged or at all.
She denied that her actions as stated above constitute rape or that her actions in any way helped to subdue the complainant, this enabling her husband to commit the alleged offence.
Prosecutor Tracy Mundanga told the court that sometime in January 2026, the complainant was taken by her biological mother to the accused person’s home during the night.
Chiredzero, a known faith healer in the area, was reportedly attending to the complainant’s mentally ill sister.
During the healing session, Chiredzero allegedly demanded that the complainant’s mother provide him with a virgin girl, claiming he needed intimacy to heal the mentally challenged daughter.
The prosecutor said Chauke agreed with her husband’s idea, and even brought a gun, threatening the mother to comply.
According to the State, the complainant’s mother consented to the arrangement out of fear.
The court heard that during the night, Chauke allegedly arranged separate rooms for Chiredzero and the complainant.
The complainant’s mother and the other child were instructed to go to sleep.
It was alleged that Chiredzero then undressed himself and ordered the complainant to undress as well, but she refused.
He was said to have threatened her with a gun, removed her clothes, and raped her, an act the court was told occurred once.
The next day, the complainant was left at the accused person’s home.
During the day, the prosecutor said Chiredzero insisted on being intimate with the complainant again, claiming the mental condition of the patient needed to be fully “solved.”
It was further alleged that Chauke, still acting in common purpose with her husband, insisted the complainant was supposed to comply because her husband was armed.
The State alleged that the complainant complied out of fear and was sexually raped again without protection.
After the alleged assaults, the complainant was said to have cleaned herself.
Chauke allegedly provided her with underwear and clothes to wear.
The prosecutor told the court that Chiredzero then threatened to kill the complainant if she disclosed the matter to anyone.
According to the allegations, the complainant’s mother later came for her in the evening and took her back home, with no action taken against the accused persons.
The matter only came to light on June 7 2026, when the complainant, her mother and siblings were undergoing a healing session with an Apostolic prophet, Shupikai Nyamuda.
The prophet allegedly prophesied about the sexual assault incident, after which the complainant’s mother, accompanied by Nyamuda, reported the matter to the police.
Trial resumes on July 27.
