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Robert Martin Gumbura

Tendai Rupapa Senior Court Reporter
Judgment in the case of RMG Independent End Time Message leader Martin Gumbura, accused of raping seven women from his church, has been rescheduled to January 24.
Regional magistrate Mr Hoseah Mujaya had set January 8 as the judgment day but he deferred the matter after the court decided to conduct an inspection of Gumbura’s house at No. 6 Helena Close in Marlborough, Harare.

During the inspection-in-loco on Wednesday, investigating officers Chief Superintendent Ndabezinhle Moyo and Detective Inspector Tapiwa Madakuchekwa made indications for the court, giving an account of how they carried out their searches and investigations at the time of Gumbura’s arrest.

Harare area public prosecutor Mr Jonathan Murombedzi and Gumbura’s defence team of Mrs Rekai Maposa and Mr Emmanuel Samundombe yesterday told the court that they were not going to cross-examine the investigating officers.
Both counsels said they stood by their previous submissions.

However, they went on to submit their closing submissions basing on the indications at Gumbura’s house.
Mr Murombedzi with the assistance of Mrs Kudzai Chigwedere said that there was consistency in the witnesses’ statements pertaining to Gumbura’s security at his house.

On arriving at Gumbura’s house, one is welcomed by a high precast security wall measuring about three metres high.
There are massive gates with spikes on top at three entrances. The gates are 3 metres high and 5,4 metres in length.

According to the city by-laws, a residential security wall should measure a minimum height of 1,8 metres and a maximum of 2,4 metres.
Mr Murombedzi said it was impossible for the women to escape due to the height of the security wall.

“Your Worship these are women who do not have criminal minds to jump over the security walls. There was also psychological and spiritual fear in them hence they could not escape,” he said.

On the other hand, Mrs Maposa maintained that if the women were indeed being abused, they would have easily escaped through the backyard which has a shorter security wall measuring about 1,78 metres.

“If they were to cry for help, they were going to get the desired assistance from Gumbura’s neighbours or other people at his house contrary to what the investigating officers and the alleged victims said that it was not possible to get help.

“There were more than 200 people at his house during that time, their screams, if ever they screamed, were going to be easily heard.
“Only the front gate is manned by a security guard, why did they not escape through the other two gates, Your Worship these women were not raped, it was consensual sex,” she said.

Hundreds of people including his wives who had thronged the Harare Magistrates’ Courts in anticipation of the verdict, left the court with long faces after the court ruled that it would pass its judgment in two weeks’ time.