PROPHETIC Healing and Deliveries Ministries founder Walter Magaya believes all his enemies were invited by the Zimbabwe Gender Commission to create a case against him, saying the said complainants were “coached”, hence the reason for the State behind placing his matters in a Victim Friendly Court.
Magaya told the court, while testifying for his application for referral to the Constitutional Court on Thursday that the said complainants are not vulnerable witnesses.
“My arrest was unique, my over-detention was unique. Everything was planned before my side of the story,” he told the court.
“They are not victims. They are just general people who have been coached because no crime was committed.”
He alleged a co-ordinated effort between the police, prosecutors and other bodies.
“Police or maybe the NPA [National Prosecuting Authority] are coaching them.
“First letters came from the Gender Commission… then a police statement inviting all my enemies to create cases against me.”
Magaya, speaking during cross-examination by prosecutor Clemence Chimbari, argued that the facility is unsuitable for adult complainants and undermines his right to a fair trial in his ongoing rape case.
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The PHD Ministries founder is facing allegations of raping four congregants.
He is pushing for his matter to be referred to the Constitutional Court of Zimbabwe after being denied an open-court hearing.
Magaya repeatedly accused the prosecution of orchestrating a predetermined process, insisting that the complainants are not genuine victims, but individuals who have been “coached”.
He further alleged that the complainants were being rehearsed.
“There is a letter saying those claiming to be victims are with the police, maybe practising how to speak on TV,” he said.
Presiding magistrate Esthere Chivasa ordered both sides to tour the VFC to observe how it operates after Magaya’s defence team argued that they had only seen the facility used for minors.
After a mock hearing, Magaya insisted the setup was compromised and incapable of supporting a fair process.
He described the VFC room in detail, calling it structurally inappropriate.
“I saw a 41-inch TV, the angle, the size. The room has funny pictures, it was clearly designed for infants,” he said.
“The camera is static, the speakers are not audible. That room won’t give me a fair trial.
“Speaking and feeling are two different things. If I pretend to cry crocodile tears, that won’t be detected on TV. You can’t see what’s real or duplicate.”
Magaya compared the experience to watching sport on television.
“A live match and a TV match are two worlds apart.
“We are dealing with coached people hiding behind a camera.”
He questioned why vulnerability assessments had not been conducted before placing adult complainants in the VFC.
“Why didn’t the court interview those alleging that I raped them to see if they are vulnerable?
“A buffer for a 26-year-old? That’s a room for kids.”
Chimbari, the prosecutor, reminded him that VFCs are widely used across Zimbabwe, but Magaya insisted the arrangement threatened his safety and his rights.
“I feel my life is in danger. The trial will not be fair at all. This court is for babies, not 26-year-olds.”
Magaya returns to court on March 2, when his lawyers are expected to argue for the matter’s referral to the Constitutional Court.
