Online Reporter
Yeukai Karengezeka
Court Correspondent
Tapiwa Felix Chikondo, a security aide to the founder of Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries Walter Magaya, was acquitted yesterday on charges of obstructing justice and resisting arrest.
Presiding magistrate Mr Tapiwa Kuhudzai ruled that the State had failed to prove its case, declaring the 34-year-old not guilty of interfering with Magaya’s arrest.
Chikondo was represented by Mr Malvern Mapako of Rubaya and Chatambudza Legal Practitioners.
The complainant in the case was the State, represented by Detective Inspector Washington Mashizha, Officer-in-Charge of the CID Commercial Crimes Division in Harare.
According to the State, the incident occurred on November 1 at around 7:30am when a team of police officers, led by Superintendent Ndhlovu, arrived at Prophet Magaya’s prayer mountain to arrest him over allegations of rape and fraud.
Chikondo argued in his defense that when he arrived at the location around 4:45am, the police had already entered the premises and arrested Magaya. He emphasised that there was no way he could have interfered with police operations, as they had already secured access to execute their duties.
He further said he never interacted with the police in a manner that could obstruct justice.
Given that he arrived after the police had gained entry, he asserted it was impossible for him to have hindered or obstructed their investigations. Additionally, he claimed that the officers never identified themselves during the incident.
Regarding allegations of assaulting police officers, Chikondo dismissed them as baseless and malicious, arguing that the charges were fabricated to sensationalise Magaya’s arrest.
The State alleged that while some of the officers ascended the prayer mountain to carry out the arrest, others remained stationed at the entrance near the boom gate. They contended that Chikondo arrived in a sky-blue Nissan Dayz, driving at high speed before abruptly stopping in front of the police vehicle to block its path.
Chikondo reportedly confronted the officers and questioned their presence at the prayer mountain, insisting that the property belonged to him. Detective Inspector Mashizha and his team identified themselves as law enforcement officers investigating allegations. However, Chikondo allegedly became aggressive, shouting at the officers and asserting that they had no authority to be on the premises.
The altercation reportedly escalated when Chikondo charged at Detective Assistant Inspector Chifamba and pushed him to the ground.
Logic here would believe the police’s record of events rather than Chikondo’s. We should be very careful about how justice is delivered in this country. It wouldn’t be surprising that the magistrate is a member of the Magaya congregation. Our justice system is seriously compromised by jurists who take their faith to courtrooms. There is no way a judge or magistrate can be expected rule against a fellow member of the congregation especially in situations where they fellowship together everytime.