Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries founder Walter Magaya is facing a severe financial predicament as GetBucks Microfinance has taken legal action to recover a substantial debt of US$420,140.
The microfinance institution has approached the High Court seeking to liquidate Magaya’s estate, alleging that the prominent cleric has deliberately frustrated their efforts to recover the funds, claiming he possesses no assets.
The legal battle stems from a previous High Court order issued last year against Magaya, his wife Tendai, and their company, Planet Africa (Private) Limited, where the couple serve as directors. The order mandated the payment of US$420,140.72, along with accrued interest, to GetBucks.
Subsequently, a writ of execution was issued, leading to the attachment of Planet Africa’s immovable property: a piece of land identified as the Remainder of Stand 166 of Prospect, measuring 3.2323 hectares. This property, held under Deed of Transfer number 407 6118 dated 27 July 2018, was declared executable by the High Court and scheduled for sale on 28 March 2025, serving as security for the outstanding debt.
However, GetBucks asserts that their attempts to execute the judgement have been thwarted by Magaya and his wife, who have allegedly engaged in acts of insolvency.
According to court documents, just days before the scheduled sale, the respondent, Planet Africa, voluntarily opted for Corporate Rescue, effectively obstructing the sale of the immovable property.
GetBucks argues that, given the apparent lack of further assets belonging to Magaya and his wife, coupled with their alleged obstruction of execution attempts, the couple are insolvent and their estates should be liquidated.
“There being no further assets of the 1st and 2nd Respondent and after frustration of all execution avenues to frustrate the judgment of this court and to render it a brutum fulmen, it follows that the two are insolvent and their estates should be liquidated,” GetBucks stated in their application.
The microfinance institution further alleges that Magaya and his wife are “generally unable to pay debts which are due and payable” and have “abused procedures to frustrate execution.” They also claim that entities linked to the applicant, including PHD Ministries and The Walter Magaya Family Trust, have been used to obstruct the genuine execution of court orders.
“These include the PHD Ministries and The Walter Magaya Family Trust,” GetBucks asserted in the application.
GetBucks also highlighted Magaya and his wife’s prominent status in society, with Magaya being a well-known prophet at PHD Ministries.
“The two have presented themselves as individuals with nothing and have used entities as agents. They should show the court how they are settling personal obligations and sustaining themselves,” the application reads.
GetBucks has requested the court to grant a provisional order pending confirmation for the liquidation process to commence promptly, arguing that a “prima facie case has been made entitling the applicant” to such an order.
Furthermore, GetBucks is seeking costs on a higher scale, alleging “classic abuse of proceedings to frustrate court orders and the creditor.” They argue that Magaya’s actions have “put [the] Applicant out of pocket unnecessarily” and forced them to resort to this application, warranting punitive costs.
“This is classic abuse of proceedings to frustrate court orders and the creditor. Applicant has been put out of pocket unnecessarily by the 1st Respondent and have been forced to resort to this application. Costs on a punitive scale are warranted in cases of abuse of processes,” the application states.
The matter was scheduled for a virtual hearing on Wednesday.
This is not the first time Magaya has faced scrutiny over land deals. In January 2025, he was once again accused of defrauding his congregants in a failed residential stands scheme, adding to a history of similar accusations.
The scheme, launched in 2016, promised to provide 1,000 residential stands at Danglasedale farm on the outskirts of Bulawayo. Magaya, through Planet Africa, sold the plots for US$4,000 each, promising to construct houses for the beneficiaries, who were primarily members of his church.
The beneficiaries were to make monthly mortgage instalments based on the property’s value. However, documents revealed that payments were made interchangeably to Planet Africa and the PHD Ministries offices, raising concerns about the project’s accountability.
Despite the promises, the construction of houses never materialised. One beneficiary, Willie Chidhlori, stated that he and many others had to sell family assets to raise the money for the residential stands.
“A lot of people including myself sold assets in order to raise the required amount. Some even sold their stands in high density suburbs such as Cowdray Park in order to buy the Danglasedale stands which were bigger and had better value,” Chidhlori told NewsHub.
Progress on the project stalled in 2017 after most beneficiaries had paid in full. The church attributed the abandonment of the project to an “unconducive political environment” following Operation Restore Legacy, the military-assisted removal of the late Robert Mugabe from power in November 2017.
As the years passed, Magaya’s followers were given further excuses, including the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, which the church claimed had worsened its financial situation.
“The advent of COVID 19 stalled everything. When we tried to follow up on the issue after the pandemic, we were told that the church had no money because people were unable to pay tithes during COVID. We were told that the money we paid was tied to the project,” added Chidhlori.
Other victims, who preferred to remain anonymous, said they made numerous visits to the PHD Ministries offices in both Bulawayo and Harare, but to no avail. Some members have reportedly left the church in frustration, while others have since passed away without receiving their stands.
“All we want from Magaya is our money. We know he has the capacity to pay us back,” one victim stated.
Magaya’s spokesperson, Admire Mango, did not respond to requests for comment.
In mid-2020, hundreds of Magaya’s congregants besieged the PHD Ministries office in Cape Town, demanding their money back after Magaya failed to deliver on stands that he had promised them. A year before, he was implicated in a US$900,000 land scam involving the illegal sale of Kalulu Farm in Goromonzi.
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