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Court Reporter

The trial on rape charges of Goodness and Mercy Ministries church leader Tapiwa Freddy has been set for January 6 at the Harare Regional Magistrates Court.

Freddy known as Prophet T Freddy, is being charged with two counts of rape after he allegedly raped a 33-year-old woman to initiate a sexual relationship and then after she ended it.

Freddy is represented by lawyers Mr Everson Chatambudza, Mr Malvern Mapako and Mr Jivas Mudimu.

The State alleges that in November 2019, the husband of the woman fell ill and the woman sought assistance from the preacher. Freddy gave the woman US$2 500 to cover her husband’s medical expenses. The woman took her husband to Karanda Hospital where he subsequently died. Freddy met the woman’s transport expenses from Karanda Hospital to Harare.

It is alleged that after three months, Freddy proposed love to the woman, but she turned him down, saying it was against tradition to be involved in a love affair soon after the death of her husband.

In November last year Freddy accompanied the woman to her rural home to see her child.

The State alleges that the two returned to Harare at around 7.30pm and went to the woman’s home where, it is further alleged, Freddy went to the woman’s bedroom where he declared to the woman that he was her new husband, raped her and then told her to consider him as her husband and promised to look after her and the child.