Prophet Magaya and wife did not pay tax on mega salaries

Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries founder Prophet Walter Magaya is paid $40,000 per month, a court heard on Friday.

Between January 2013 and December 2017, Magaya netted $2,4 million, while his wife Tendai collected $950,000 or about $15,500 monthly.

This was revealed as PHD board member for finance Nelson Tawanda Marimo appeared before a Harare magistrate charged with four counts of Income Tax Act violations.

Peter Kachirika, for the prosecution, told the court that Marimo had an obligation to "withhold employees' tax from the remuneration but without just or reasonable cause" neglected to do so in the case of Magaya and his wife.

On the third count, the church represented by Marimo is accused of failing to maintain a sales record between January 1, 2013, and October 2018 in violation of the Value Added Tax Act.

PHD raises revenue from selling church regalia, "anointing oil" and "holy water" and it also operates a guest house, Yadah Hotel.

Magistrate Learnmore Mapiye heard that on the fourth count, PHD falsified tax returns on exports totalling $2,3 million between January 1, 2015, and October 2018.

Matimo, who was represented by Everspon Chatambudza, was remanded to February 28 for trial.