By Nyore Madzianike
Harare regional magistrate Hosea Mujaya set January 24 as the judgement day in the matter in which Pastor Robert Martin Gumbura is accused of raping seven women.
The court set the day after the state counsels led by Jonathan Murombedzi and Kudzai Chigwedere and Gumbura’s lawyers Rekai Maphosa and Emmanuel Samundombe gave major highlights of the inspection in loco.
The inspection in loco was held at Gumbura’s house in Marlborough.
The State, led by Jonathan Murombedzi, was first to give highlights to the court saying observations on the nature of the security at Gumbura’s house were consistent with witnesses on description.
Prosecutor Murombedzi told the court that the victims were not to be treated as criminals that would consider scaling over the precast walls at Gumbura’s place.
“The observations of the nature of security were consistent with witnesses on description and should be added to credibility.
“The other gates were disused completely and there were some fresh rubbles with no grass which was growing on them in a neighbour’s place.
Prosecutor Murombedzi also said that the issue of proximity of Gumbura’s bedroom in relation to other rooms could not be looked in isolation considering that the victims were psychologically and spiritually indoctrinated.
Gumbura’s lawyer Rekai Maphosa, highlighted that security was not uniform at Gumbura’s place saying there were small walls to the west and there was an upland such that anyone could enter into a neighbour’s place without any difficulty.
“From the backside of the accused’s place there is a small ‘durawall’ with a height of 1.8 metres and the accused has neighbours such that if anyone wanted to cry or shout for help she could be heard contrary to State witnesses.
“Chief Sup Moyo said that there was manning one side and one could easily escape from the other side.
“There are tree and branches that overlap into accused’s neighbours and it would make it easy for any serious victim to escape, she said.
Commenting on the Chisitipe cottage where one of the women claimed to have been raped from, Maphosa said that it had no burglar bars which makes it easy for one to escape.
Maphosa also highlighted that Gumbura’s bedroom and office had two doors each which the witnesses had never mentioned in their testimonies.
