Tinotenda Hove – Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries founder Walter Magaya has been remanded in custody to November 13 as he faces five counts of rape.

Magaya was arrested alongside his wife, Tendai, who is facing fraud-related charges, with both cases being heard at the Harare Magistrates Court.

Meanwhile, Magaya’s security aide, Tapiwa Felix Chikondo (34), who is accused of obstructing the course of justice, was granted US$300 bail.

According to the State, Magaya’s alleged sexual offences date back to 2013, when he met one of the complainants, who had sought prayers for an illness. After her recovery, Magaya allegedly began making sexual advances, sending her persistent messages and offering unfulfilled promises, including an opportunity to study abroad.

In the first count, the court heard that Magaya invited the complainant to a hotel, where she allegedly found him naked before being sexually assaulted. The same woman was reportedly raped on two more occasions.

In another incident, Magaya is accused of raping a second complainant in 2018. The State alleges that he told the woman’s mother he intended to take her daughter to South Africa to buy machinery and raw materials for a business venture. However, the alleged business trip turned into sexual abuse, reportedly with the assistance of his bodyguards.

The court also heard that Magaya raped the same woman again in October 2018, after inviting her to his Marlborough offices for what was said to be a business meeting.

Court papers indicate that the complainant attempted to report the matter at Waterfalls and Harare Central police stations in 2018, but the reports were allegedly suppressed due to Magaya’s influence.

Magaya and his wife remain in custody, and court proceedings are ongoing.