Harare magistrate, Marewanazvo Gofa on Tuesday dismissed an application for the immediate release of Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries founder Walter Magaya but granted US$500 bail to his wife, Tendai.
The couple, together with their employee and Magaya’s bodyguard, Tapiwa Felix Chikondo, a serving soldier, were arrested on Saturday on allegations of fraud involving a multimillion-dollar church housing project that allegedly never materialised. Magaya also faces a separate rape charge.
The trio, through their lawyers, had argued that they were unlawfully detained beyond the 48-hour limit stipulated under Section 50 of the Constitution and therefore should be released immediately.
Magistrate Gofa acknowledged that the three were over-detained but ruled that the breach did not warrant their release, saying they could seek redress through the Constitutional Court.
Gofa further ruled that no bail application would be entertained for the rape charge Magaya is facing, and remanded him in custody to 18 November.
His lawyer, Admire Rubaya, indicated they would approach the High Court for bail in the separate fraud matter.
