Mrs Magaya granted bail as court rules she is not a flight risk

Yeukai Karengezeka

Court Correspondent

Tendai Magaya, the wife of Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries founder, Mr Walter Magaya, was yesterday granted bail after a Harare magistrate ruled that there were no compelling reasons to justify her continued detention.

Presiding magistrate Mrs Marehwanazvo Gofa said while the charges against Mrs Magaya were serious, the gravity of the offence alone was not enough to deny her liberty before trial.

“In this case, the court finds the explanations provided by the accused to be plausible,” she said.

“There are no compelling reasons submitted by the State to deny her bail.

“The accused is not a flight risk.”

The court noted that Mrs Magaya had been under investigation since 2023 and had not attempted to flee the country despite having the means and opportunity to do so.

“Denying her bail under these circumstances would amount to a travesty of justice,” the court found.

“It defies common sense to assume she would flee now when she has had ample opportunity to do so previously.”

The court also found the State’s case as weak and said its concerns could be adequately managed through strict bail conditions.

Mrs Magaya was ordered to deposit US$500 bail, surrender her passport to the authorities, report once every two weeks at ZRP Waterfalls Police Station, and continue residing at her given address without interfering with witnesses.

Both Tendai and Walter Magaya are expected to return to court on November 18 for further proceedings.

The State is being represented by Mr Clemence Chimbare, while the accused are represented by Mr Admire Rubaya and Mr Everson Chatambudza.