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Senior Court Reporter

A self-styled prophet from Power of Unity in Christ Church will know his fate on January 7 when Harare regional magistrate Mrs Gloria Takundwa makes a judgment in a case he is accused of raping one of his congregants.

Samuel Guta, of Glen View 3 in Harare, allegedly raped a 22-year-old woman during a prayer and cleansing session.

He denied the charges saying he never had sexual intercourse with the woman.

Guta claimed the woman was in the habit of seducing him in a bid to lure him into having sexual intercourse.

He told the court that the woman would come to him complaining that her husband was no longer satisfying her in bed.

The State led by Mrs Cecilia Mashingaidze said on January 7, 2021, Guta allegedly phoned the woman for a cleansing ceremony at a certain mountain between Riverside and Churu farms near Harare.

It is alleged he told the woman to bring three lemons to the mountain so that he could also pray for her three-year-old child.

The court heard that the woman went to the mountain with her child and upon arrival, Guta allegedly told her to return the child home since they were likely to delve into ‘sensitive matters’ with her. It is alleged that the woman complied and returned her child. It later started raining and Guta invited the woman into a tent.

The woman is said to have initially refused but Guta threatened not to help her unless she got into the tent after which she complied with Guta’s wish.  Guta allegedly took a lemon, prayed and gave the woman a piece to eat while he ate another piece.

The court heard that Guta asked the woman to rub a piece of lemon under her feet and breasts. The woman is said to have suddenly lost consciousness only to wake up to find herself without her undergarments.

Guta allegedly told the woman that evil spirits had removed her pants upon manifestation.

He allegedly prayed for the woman again and she fell unconscious for the second time after which she woke up to find Guta on top of her.

The accused prayed for the complainant for the third time and she again lost consciousness and woke up lying face down and without undergarments.

She asked the accused what had happened and Guta told her that an evil spirit had come out of her and she was the one who removed her undergarments when she was manifesting.

The woman informed her aunt who reported the matter to the police. Guta is expected in court on January 7 for judgment.