Prophet Magaya accused of making death threats

A JILTED Harare man, Denford Mutashu, who recently filed a $500 000 adultery damages lawsuit against Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries head Walter Magaya, has piled more pressure on the religious leader by reporting him to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) over allegations of practising "bigamy" and issuing death threats against him.

Mutashu is accusing Magaya of having an adulterous affair with his wife, Nomsa Mutashu (nee Ruvazhe). Last week, Mutashu claimed that the PHD Ministries leader had imported the latest version Toyota Mark 11 for the woman at the centre of the controversy.

Mutashu's lawyer Norman Mugiya told NewsDay yesterday that his client had filed criminal charges against the man of the cloth after he allegedly received death threats from the cleric's security agents.

But he alleged police were interfering and reluctant to act on the matter as some of them were members of PHD Ministries.

"I can confirm that there is a criminal report made with the police against Walter Magaya for bigamy and the police are handling the matter. We will hear from the police after their investigations," Mugiya said.

"However, my client is worried that he is being victimised by some senior police officers
who are members of the accused's organisation. We have some of the names of the police officers who are now acting as Magaya's agents to victimise my client so that he is shut out."

He said they had also approached Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri's office with a complaint over the alleged interference in the case by some police officers.

Mugiya further said his client was claiming to have received death threats from Magaya and his security agents.

"There appears to be some people from ZRP who are members of the church and are also threatening him [Mutashu] in a bid to shut him out. And because of such serious interference, the criminal report has not been dealt with as efficiently as would have been ordinarily expected. My client has supplied the police with all the numbers that are being used to threaten him and the numbers are all linked to PHD prayer lines," he said.

Both national police spokespersons Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba and Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi could not be reached for comment yesterday as their mobile phones went unanswered.

But Magaya's lawyer Everson Chatambudza said he was not aware of any police reports having been made about his client adding that the civil matter was before the courts and there was no reason for the cleric to threaten Mutashu.

"I am not aware of such reports, I have not heard anything from the police and, in any event, there is no need for him to make all these allegations against my client when the civil matter is before the High Court. Why would my client continue to talk to him when he knows the matter is yet to be in court? These issues are being fabricated and for no apparent reason," Chatambudza said.

"Recently he [Mutashu] filed summons for adultery damages against my client, now he is saying he is being threatened. Please, there is no need for this entire circus, let the courts decide on matters before them. We entered an appearance to defend today [yesterday] and very soon we will enter our plea and the court will decide on the matter."