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Senior Court Reporter
THE trial date of Harare pastor, Martin Robert Gumbura, who is accused of raping seven women from his church on different occasions has been set for Monday next week. Gumbura yesterday appeared before magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe and was remanded in custody after prosecutor Mrs Kudzai Chigwedere sought for a postponement of the matter on the basis that the State wanted to consolidate the cases.
Mrs Rekai Maphosa is appearing on behalf of Gumbura.
Gumbura is in custody after his bail was last week revoked by the High Court after he allegedly threatened the victims with death if they cooperated with the police.
Justice Nicholas Mathonsi revoked Gumbura’s previous bail after the State led by law officer Mr Edmore Nyazamba filed an urgent chamber application seeking his incarceration.
Mr Nyazamba said the State was in possession of video footage in which Gumbura, the founder of RMG End Time Message, was threatening members of his congregation who might want to give testimony to the police. The prosecution alleged that Gumbura said this recently in one of his sermons during a church service, while he was on bail pending trial.
It is alleged he told them that he would commit them in the hands of the devil and that death would be imminent. According to the State, when the police raided his house, they recovered sexual enhancement drugs and pornographic videos.
Online Reporter