HARARE – The legal troubles of one of Zimbabwe’s most prominent religious figures, televangelist Walter Magaya, escalated dramatically this week after he was arrested at the Harare Magistrates Court on four fresh counts of rape. The founder of the Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries, who was already facing separate charges of rape and fraud, was taken into custody by police detectives moments after a routine court appearance on Monday, January 26, 2026.
The unexpected arrest, which occurred in the court car park, marked a significant turn in the ongoing legal saga surrounding the self-proclaimed prophet. Magaya was immediately remanded in custody and advised to seek bail at the High Court, as the new charges fall under the serious category of a third schedule offence.
Arrest Sparks Outcry Over Police Conduct
The manner of the arrest drew immediate and strong condemnation from Magaya’s legal team, led by Admire Rubaya and Everson Chatambudza. The lawyers accused the police of abusing their powers and orchestrating the arrest to ensure their client remained in detention.
Mr Rubaya detailed the treatment of his client following the arrest, describing a scene that he claimed was deliberately humiliating.
“He was escorted to a commuter omnibus with no seats and was ordered to sit on the floor, as smart as he is. It’s a sad day for justice,” Rubaya stated.
Magaya, who had arrived at the court earlier that morning in a business suit and accompanied by his wife, Tendai, was later seen returning to the court for his second appearance of the day in handcuffs.
The defence argued that the timing of the arrest was suspicious, suggesting it was a calculated move by the State. They claimed that the State had failed to proceed with the trial on the original rape charges, and the new arrest was a way to keep Magaya in custody.
“We have complaints against the police. Today was supposed to be his trial… Faced with that scenario, they connived to re-arrest the accused person in order to keep him in detention,” Rubaya submitted. He further questioned the necessity of the arrest, asking, “What is the intention of arresting a man of God who has come to court on numerous occasions, surrendered his passport and title deeds, in such fashion?”.
In response to the complaints, prosecutors Clemence Chimbari and Tendai Shonhai dismissed the allegations of abuse, insisting that due process had been followed.
“Investigations were underway and as soon as police concluded them, they effected the arrest,” Mr Chimbari said, adding that the timing should not be interpreted as an attempt to torture the accused. He maintained that the arrest was lawful, stating, “An arrest is effected where there is reasonable suspicion that a criminal offence has been committed”.
Magaya was remanded in custody until February 16, 2026, with the trial on the four new counts scheduled to run on a continuous roll from February 16 to 19.
Details of the Four New Allegations
The four new counts of rape involve women who were all congregants of the PHD Ministries, with the alleged incidents spanning a period from 2016 to 2023. The State alleges that in all four cases, the encounters were non-consensual and that Magaya “had no right whatsoever to have sexual intercourse with the complainants without their consent”.
The specific details of the allegations, as presented in court, paint a disturbing picture of alleged abuse of power and trust within the church environment.
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Count
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Age & Location
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Alleged Date
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Alleged Circumstances
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1
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24-year-old, Harare
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July 2020
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Invited to work as a voluntary worker at the PHD call centre. Allegedly lured to Villa 13, a hotel room, under the guise of a Bible study. A female staff member allegedly left and locked the door, after which Magaya allegedly grabbed and raped her. She reported the matter after learning of similar allegations against him.
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2
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22-year-old, Chegutu
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2023
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Attended a church service in Chegutu and was referred to Harare for prayers after manifesting. Magaya allegedly instructed her to stay at Yadah Hotel for continued prayers to remove evil spirits. She was later allegedly invited to the Presidential Suite at the hotel, where she was alone with Magaya and was raped, resulting in the breaking of her virginity.
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3
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33-year-old, Harare
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July 2016
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A member of PHD Ministries from 2016 to 2017. Magaya allegedly offered her a job at his Housing Project after ordering her to resign from her previous employment. She was allegedly driven to House number 15 Wadham Road, Borrowdale, where she was given US$3,000 as a ten-month salary. Magaya allegedly dragged her into a room where he was naked and raped her.
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4
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21-year-old, Chegutu
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Date not specified
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A church member who was assisting with the marketing of Magaya’s book, Proceeding in Pain. She was allegedly called to a hotel suite and sexually assaulted after being left alone with the televangelist.
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The Context of Ongoing Legal Battles
The latest arrest comes as Magaya is already deeply embroiled in a series of legal battles that have plagued his ministry for years. The court appearance that preceded his dramatic re-arrest was for a separate, ongoing rape trial involving two other women.
That trial had stalled on Monday after it emerged that one of the complainants was currently in Ireland, with the National Prosecuting Authority attempting to facilitate her return to Zimbabwe. Furthermore, the second complainant in that original case had reportedly written to the Prosecutor General indicating her intention to withdraw her allegations. It was this scenario—the potential collapse of the original case—that the defence argued led to the police’s “connivance” to effect the new arrest.
In addition to the multiple rape allegations, Magaya and his wife, Tendai, are also facing a separate, massive fraud case. The couple is facing 78 counts of fraud related to the Yadah Housing Project, involving a staggering sum of approximately US$3 million. Magaya had been out on US$3,000 bail in connection with these fraud and the initial rape allegations before his arrest on the new charges.
A History of Controversy
The pattern of legal and ethical controversies is not new for the PHD Ministries leader. His career has been marked by several high-profile incidents that have brought him into conflict with the law and public scrutiny.
One of the most notable incidents occurred in 2019 when Magaya was convicted and fined $700 for contravening the Medicines and Allied Substances Control Act. This conviction stemmed from his highly publicised and false claim that a herb-based drug, which he called “Aguma,” possessed the power to cure HIV/AIDS. The claim drew international attention and condemnation from health authorities.
Earlier, in 2016, Magaya faced a different rape charge involving a 25-year-old student. Although the complainant in that case later withdrew her allegations, claiming she had lied, the State initially attempted to proceed with the trial. The case eventually collapsed, but it established a precedent of serious allegations being levelled against the preacher.
More recently, in 2025, Magaya was involved in a qualification fraud scandal. The University of South Africa (UNISA) publicly disowned diplomas that Magaya had claimed to have earned from the institution. UNISA stated that any certificate Magaya presented claiming to be from them was fraudulent, further adding to the list of non-religious controversies surrounding the televangelist.
The Path Ahead
With the new charges, the legal stakes for Magaya have been significantly raised. The State’s insistence that the matter is a third schedule offence means that the Harare Magistrates Court cannot grant bail, forcing the defence to approach the High Court.
Magaya’s lawyers, Mr Rubaya and Mr Chatambudza, confirmed their intention to seek bail at the High Court “as soon as possible”. However, the State’s move to consolidate the four new charges and set a continuous trial date for mid-February suggests a determination to move the case forward swiftly.
The case continues to be a focal point of public interest, not only because of the gravity of the allegations but also due to the persistent questions raised by the defence regarding the conduct of the police and the National Prosecuting Authority. As the legal process unfolds, the focus remains on the High Court, where the battle for Magaya’s temporary freedom will be fought, and on the upcoming trial where the four new complainants will present their evidence.
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