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PHD Ministries Prophet Walter Magaya (centre) arrives at Harare magistrate courts while escorted by his lawyer Everson Chatambudza(right) and overseer Admire Mango yesterday.(Picture by Innocent Makawa)

Tendai Rupapa : Senior Court Reporter

Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries leader Walter Magaya had his bail conditions relaxed yesterday after Harare magistrate Mr Vakayi Chikwekwe ruled that he was not a flight risk. Magaya is accused of raping one of his congregants. As part of his bail conditions, Magaya was ordered to report three times a week to the police.He, however, successfully applied to have the reporting conditions reduced to once a week. In his ruling, Mr Chikwekwe said Magaya has been religiously reporting to the police and would not abscond trial.

“The accused person was released on stringent conditions and has been reporting without fail,” he said.

“By the nature of his work, his legal practitioners have petitioned for his bail conditions to be relaxed to once a week. It is the court’s view that since he has been reporting without fail, he is not a flight risk.

“His work entails him to travel out of the country as presented by his lawyers and I see him to be a person who will stand trial. The application is therefore granted and the accused person is ordered to report once a week to CID Law and Order section on Fridays.”

Prosecutor Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa then sought for a postponement of the matter to September 28. He said investigations were complete, adding that the docket was now at the Prosecutor-General’s Office for perusal. His lawyers, Messrs Everson Chatambudza, Admire Rubaya and Oliver Marwa from Rubaya and Chatambudza Legal Practitioners, consented to the postponement.

Mr Rubaya said: “We consent to the postponement on the understanding the State will give us a position on whether or not they will be ready to furnish us with a trial date and if they have triable issues.”

Mr Rubaya further advised the court of their intentions to apply for the temporary release of Magaya’s passport. He said he will make the application before the next remand date.

Despite calls by their leader not to attend his court session, PHD congregants defied the order and thronged the court to support their leader. Riot police had a torrid time in controlling the crowd which was singing, dancing and ululating. Magaya is accused of raping a 25-year-old woman from his church.