Harare: A Zimbabwean preacher who commands a huge following in the country and the entire southern African region, Walter Magaya is set to stand trial in April on charges of raping a university student.
Magaya leads the Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries. His trial commence son April 3 at the High Court.
He is accused of raping a Midlands State University student at one of his residences in 2015 in the capital, Harare before giving her $200.
His Constitutional Court (ConCourt) challenge was struck off the roll when he was challenging his indictment for trial at the High Court.
He was arguing that he could not be tried over a rape case where the complainant in the matter had voluntarily withdrawn the case.
Magaya commands a huge following in Zimbabwe and the entire southern African sub region, including in South Africa and Botswana where he has held highly successful crusades.
The PHD leader says he is inspired by the equally popular Nigerian preacher, TB Joshua, whom he regards as his spiritual father.
And with the pulling power of the country’s charismatic church leaders now firmly established, warring Zanu-PF bigwigs, as well as opposition politicians have been stampeding to the gatherings of popular prophets.
