The 17 widows of rape convicted cleric Robert Martin Gumbura have chosen his nephew, Chivimbiso Thomas Nyathi to be the executor of their late husband’s estate.
Nyathi was appointed following a huge fight between the widows and their brother-in-law, Innocent Gumbura, who desperately wanted to be the executor arguing that he was already playing the role of the father for his brother’s children.
The matter was heard before the Assistant Master of the High Court only identified as Hamandishe.
Gumbura succumbed to Covid-19 in August this year while serving time at Chikurubi Maximum Prison for raping several women.
The sisters and brother of the late founder of RMG Independent End Time Message Church openly contested the selection of his nephew by the late cleric’s widows to be the executor of the estate.
The widows’ lawyer Lovemore Madhuku said the women had chosen Gumbura’s nephew as the rightful executor.
“All the wives chose his nephew Chivimbiso Thomas Nyathi but other relatives were totally against it. They wanted Gumbura’s brother, Innocent, to be the executor, that’s why the hearing took so long.
“The master was very clear that the court has to take into account the views of potential beneficiaries,” he said.
In his opposing submissions, Gumbura’s brother said he was the rightful executor since he was playing the role of father to the late pastor’s children.
But the master assured him that the appointment of another executor did not necessarily mean that he would be stripped of his roles as the father.
Accordingly, Gumbura left behind 17 wives, 34 children and an estate comprising a compound that includes a central home, multiple surrounding cottages and a church building.
He is reported to have left 11 houses in total, a farm, mine and a fleet of 20 vehicles.
He was jailed 50 years for rape in 2014 before 10 years were set aside conditionally. Nehanda Radio
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