Gumbura faces fresh rape trial

By Daniel Nemukuyu and Tendai Rupapa

HARARE – The High Court yesterday deferred to next Tuesday a bail application by RMG Independent church leader Robert Martin Gumbura in a case in which he is accused of raping yet another woman.

Gumbura was initially charged with raping 11 women but when the trial started one of them was out of the country and the matter took off in respect of seven women. Three others are still to come to court.

The 11th woman is now back in Zimbabwe from South Africa and Gumbura is seeking bail in respect of that woman’s case.

Justice Esther Muremba yesterday postponed the case to allow the parties to file all the requisite papers. In the latest case, Gumbura is alleged to have raped the woman in early 2009 at his Helena Close, Marlborough, home with the assistance of his secretary Tendai Ganyani.

Both are being charged with rape. Mr Innocent Muchini of the National Prosecuting Authority appeared for the State while Ms Rekayi Maphosa represented Gumbura.

Magistrate Mr Hosea Mujaya is expected to deliver judgment in respect of the other seven women on January 24. Meanwhile, Ganyani’s trial in which the secretary is accused of possessing prohibited articles has been postponed to January 29.

Ganyani (26), who works and lives at Gumbura’s house, was found in possession of 16 pornographic DVDs, two pornographic magazines and 57 pornographic pictures.

Yesterday she appeared before Mr Donald Ndirowei but the trial could not commence after prosecutor Mr Michael Reza told the court that Ganyani’s lawyer, Mrs Rekai Maphosa, was not comfortable watching the DVDs in the presence of male State counsels.

“Your Worship the matter was ready for trial and the defence counsel has been able to view the photographs and magazines. In respect of the DVDs, the State only has a copy of each and the State made an invitation to the defence to view the DVDs in the presence of male State counsels but Mrs Maphosa as a married woman, politely declined. The defence will, however, provide funds for the State to make copies so that she can view them with her client,” he said.

According to the State, on October 21 last year, police officers from the Victim Friendly Unit received information to the effect that children and women were being abused at Gumbura’s house.

It is alleged the police officers proceeded to Marlborough for further investigations. While conducting their searches, it is alleged, the police recovered 16 pornographic DVDs, two pornographic magazines and 57 pornographic pictures all stashed in a drawer in Ganyani’s office.

It is the State’s case that the recovered pictures were taken to the Censorship and Entertainment Board which concluded that all the materials were indecent, obscene and offensive. The photographs will be produced in court as exhibits. The Herald