ZAC Bishop arrested on rape charges

BIKITA - Zion Apostolic Church (ZAC)'s Bishop Peter Makamba was arrested recently and is facing charges of raping his maid.

Makamba appeared before Resident Magistrate Bishard Chineka and was released in as yet unclear circumstances.

Police Spokesperson, Charity Mazula confirmed the arrest of the bishop but said his release by the Magistrate is something beyond the Police.

Sources close to the matter revealed that Makamba who is the bishop for ZAC popularly known as Zion retambo allegedly raped a woman who was working for him as a maid. The woman's name is withheld to protect her.

Makamba was picked at his home in Marecha under chief Negovanhu and had to spend the weekend in the Police holding cells at Bikita Police station. It is alleged that Makamba during the dates unknown to the court but which span between 2005 and 2009 raped the woman who worked for him as a maid.

The woman decided to lay charges against him after realizing that he could be prosecuted like any other person when she read about Robert Martin Gumbura the leader of the RMG End Time Messages who was recently incarcerated for 40 years over rape crimes committed a few years ago.

However, Makamba briefly appeared before Magistrate Chineka and was declared a free man much to the chagrin of the woman's husband, who later charged at him and assaulted him accusing him of bribing the Magistrate saying he was supposed to be released after applying for bail from the High Court.

Makamba has since filed assault charges against the man.