Walter Magaya

In October 2018, Magaya claimed that he had found a cure for HIV and Cancer. He told a congregation of his Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries that he had made the discovery two years prior, but had waited for it to be scientifically proven.^[2]

Background

Prophet Magaya was born on 6 November 1983 in Mhondoro Ngezi and he grew up in Chitungwiza. He was a member of the Catholic Charismatic group named Blood of the Lamb Christian Community (BLCC) for many years.

In January 2020, Walter Magaya's father Freddy Muvirimi died aged 59. Muvirimi died at Dandaro Hospital in Borrowdale on Thursday 23 January 2020 around midday. He had not been feeling well since 2009 but the condition got worse when the family was attacked and assaulted by armed robbers in 2019 at their Waterfalls home.

In an interview, Magaya said his father’s condition worsened after his lungs were damaged during the attack.^[3]

Wife & Children

Magaya is married to Tendai Magaya (nee Katsiga) who is a banker by profession. The couple has two sons, Yadah Makanaka and Walter Junior.

The birth of PHD

Prophet Magaya began his ministry in 2012 when he returned from Nigeria where he had an encounter with T. B. Joshua who guided him to his 'God-given mandate. Since' then, Magaya has been performing breathtaking miracles which are believed to have drawn the attention of many causing havoc to his predecessor's congregates. Magaya states that he tried out a number of ventures before realizing that ministry was his calling.^[4]

Controversy

Aguma

In October 2018, Magaya announced to his congregation and a press conference afterwards that he had found a cure for HIV and Cancer. He claimed that the cure had been found two years prior to the announcement but that he had been waiting for the cure to be “chemically proven, scientifically proven”. Magaya said the cure was a mixture of 2 plants; once called Aguma, apparently found in Zimbabwe and another from Mozambique. Magaya also claimed that he had been offered $56 million by an American company, to point them to ingredients to the cure. Magaya said that he was inviting the government to do its own tests of the drugs. He also said he had since formed a company with some Indian partners which he called Aretha Medical.^[2]

In October 2018, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) raided Walter Magaya’s offices to recover samples of his HIV cure.

Deputy Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Energy Mutodi confirmed the incident in a tweet saying the raid marked the start of an investigation into the matter.^[5]

The United Nations through its health desk, the World Health Organisation (WHO) dismissed Prophetic Magaya’s alleged discovery of HIV/AIDS cure. Dr Alex Gasasira WHO Representative to Zimbabwe dismissed Magaya’s claims, calling on researchers involved in developing possible treatments to subject them to the Ministry of Health and Child Care for clinical trial processes.

In February 2019, Walter Magaya was convicted for contravening sections of the Medicines and Allied Substances Control Act through manufacturing and marketing an anti-HIV drug without first clearing with authorities. Appearing before Harare magistrate Rumbidzai Mugwagwa on behalf of his company, Aretha Medicines, Magaya was convicted on his own guilty plea. Magaya pleaded for leniency saying he tried to follow procedure but was given a cold shoulder by officials within the country’s health ministry.^[6]

2016 Rape Charges and Affair with Church Member

In August 2016, Magaya was arrested on rape charges. According to the case, he had raped an MSU student, Petronella Donhodzo Mandaza, at one of his residences in Harare, and had later given her $200. He was released on US $2,000 bail shortly afterwards to appear in court again for trial. Magaya had indicated days earlier that he was the target of extortion.

In November 2016, Donhodzo attempted to withdraw the rape charges. In withdrawal affidavits dated 8 November 2016 and 15 November 2016, that were slipped under the door at the Harare Provincial Magistrate's office, Donhodzo said that she has been receiving death threats from unknown people who wanted her to proceed to testify in court to get Magaya convicted and who didn't want her to withdraw the case.

“I have received threats from people who are threatening to shoot me in the event that I do not testify well in order to get the accused convicted if by any chance I decide to withdraw the matter. I then realized that if I do not win this case or do not do what they expect me to do, my life is in danger. I have come to the conclusion that this case is now beyond me. I have also come to understand that a greater evil are the people outside this matter that want me to get the accused convicted, even if it means adding lies to my testimony in court. I am not able to go through with this case. I cannot testify under these conditions in court knowing that I have to perform in a way that these people who are threatening me desire.

Please note that I was not forced by anyone to withdraw my case. It should be noted that at the time of the withdrawal, the accused has not contacted me or given me money to withdraw. I did this out of my own free will"^[7]

The affidavits did not say how, if these people were threatening to have her killed if she withdrew the case, she was withdrawing it anyway. The application to withdraw the rape charges was rejected.

On the 1st of December 2016, Donhodzo addressed a letter to Acting PG Ray Goba accompanied by an affidavit, insisting that she was never raped. The letter said:

The reason for the withdrawal is clear and it is that I was never raped, the report in question was simply a false report against the accused person. I understand the repercussions relating to this and I am not going to come back again on the basis of these false rape allegations.... It seems as if you have not taken heed of my clarion call that I have withdrawn the rape complaint. I was in the magistrates’ court yesterday and I was surprised (that) your representative, one Michael Mugabe insisted that a decision had been taken to proceed and prosecute the rape case in question yet I have withdrawn....

I want to correct any misguided misconception or misguided inferences that the referred threats are the prime cause of the withdrawal. Far from it, this withdrawal is motivated by my own free will and volition without any undue influence having been brought to bear...^[8]

The state decided, however, to proceed with the trial. The magistrate hearing the application ruled that despite the wishes of the complainant, the State could proceed to trial since it is dominus litus in the matter. Magaya's lawyers then indicated they'd approach the constitutional court.^[8]. The magistrate's court granted the referral of the case to the constitutional court.

Around 9 January 2017, a video of Magaya admitting to having had an affair with Donhodzo was published on the internet. Magaya didn't dispute that the video was genuine but just said that the confession had been extracted from him in the process of extorting him for a $500,000 bribe by a police office with the position of Assistant Commissioner.^[9]

Following the video, several phone conversations recordings said to be between Magaya and Donhodzo were released on YouTube. The conversations apparently happened between 2015 and 2016, In the conversations, Donhodzo demands that Magaya pays her US $100,000 for having used her in their love affair. However in January 2018 Walter Magaya was Summoned to court again on the same matter with the state arguing that he had threatened the complainant to withdraw the case

• A call in which Donhodzo complains that Magaya hasn't been available to her
• A call in which Donhodzo complains that Magaya has been ignoring her. She says she misses being intimate with the Magaya and requests a car. Magaya promises her the car
• A call in which Donhodzo says Magaya had slept with her without a condom and she wants to be paid $100,000. Magaya agrees
• A call about how to transfer the money into Donhodzo's CBZ account
• Call in which Magaya advises that if he transfers such a huge amount into Donhodzo's account, the account would be frozen for money laundering reasons. She insists that he transfers it anyway.

In a bid to nullify a 2019 High Court ruling that authorised the [[Zimbabwe Gender Commission (ZGC) to investigate allegations of sexual abuse levelled against him, Walter Magaya approached the Supreme Court.

In October 2021, the Supreme Court dismissed Magaya's application. In her judgment, Justice Marie-Anne Gowora said the High Court’s decision should be upheld arguing that barring the ZGC from conducting investigations would be a violation of the law.

Justice Gowora dismissed the appeal with cost after saying it was devoid of merit.^[10]

Stands Saga

Around that same July 2016 Magaya’s construction company Planet Africa is said to have signed a memorandum of agreement with the ministry for 300ha. Documents indicate Planet Africa paid a deposit of US$100 000 on August 10. On August 17 Minister Saviour Kasukuwere withdrew all offer letters except for Magaya's company, Planet Africa.

It is alleged that Planet Africa was subsequently offered land reserved for Zanu-PF youths, with some quarters speaking of an “improper relationship” between the minister and the prophet.^[11]

Conversion of the Pole Dance, Bev

In early 2014, Prophet Magaya reportedly converted popular exotic dancer Beverly Sibanda and it was reported that many people joined Magaya's church after this. Prophet Magaya opened a boutique for Bev as a way of helping her to eke a living since she was no longer a pole dancer. However, the two severed their ties after three months when Bev was allegedly attacked by Magaya's bouncers.^[12]

Killer Crusade

In November 2014, a church crusade was hosted by Prophet Magaya in Kwekwe of the deliverance of the people. As a result of a stampede when people tried to access anointing oil, a total of 11 people would die in the stampede. Sections of the media would, however, accuse the police of having closed all exits and leaving only one, thus making it difficult for people to get out.^[13]

Attack on Vapositori

Prophet Magaya denounced Apostolic Sects and churches which are popularly known as vapositori, accusing them of being marine spirits from the dark kingdom. In his book entitled Marine Spirits ( Mweya Yemumvura Teaching), Magaya states that, vapositori are derived from spirits that reside in the marine kingdom and they do not believe in the Bible, which is the manual book for those who believe in Christ.^[14] Magaya further stats that, the marine kingdom is all about water and the fact that the vapositori's shrines resemble a marine kingdom (bottles of water which usually surround their holy place) shows that the vapositori are connected to the marine kingdom which is a kingdom of darkness. However it is noted that in PHD Ministries there is frequent mentioning and use of holy water similar to vapositori.^[14]

A war of words ensured with government officials jumping into the debate.^[15]

Tax Evasion

In 2019, the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) garnished Walter Magaya’s Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries accounts for alleged tax arrears amounting to $22 million. In 2018, Zimra raided Magaya's church at least twice intending to audit his earnings and other business interests that include a hotel owned by the church, the tile manufacturing factory as well as a farming concern.^[16][17]

Philanthropy

Helping small businesses

He has also been credited for promoting local informal traders, vendors, and even musicians through inviting them to perform at his church.

Donating to Zimbabwe National Soccer Team

On 13 May 2015, Magaya donated $56,000 to the Zimbabwe National Soccer Team ahead of its COSAFA games in South Africa after the country's main football organization, ZIFA, failed to raise enough money to pay for the trip to South Africa. Players were ordered by ZIFA to attend Magaya’s church session by ZIFA officials and at the church service were handed gifts and the prophet prayed for them ^[18]

On 12 June 2015, Magaya once again paid for the men's national soccer team's expenses. He paid their outstanding allowances and committed to pay for all the travel expenses to Malawi for their AFCON 2017 qualifier match.^[19]

Magaya had previously donated funds to the National Women's Soccer team following the team's financial challenges.

Political Affiliation

Speculations were rife that Prophet Magaya is aligned to the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU PF) party. Magaya, however, dispelled such speculations. He, however, raised questions when he made a public statement that President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe was God-given and people should stay loyal to him.^[20]

Business Interests

In 2015, Magaya is said to have announced that he was set to roll out a USD$10 Billion dollar project which included a number of partners including his company Yadah TV.

Magaya swindles mining equipment supplier

Through his company Yadah Connect, Walter Magaya reportedly took mining equipment worth over USD30,000 early in 2020 on credit from a reputable small scale miners equipment supplier Matabeleland Engineering.

According to the company, Magaya should have paid the debt in full by June 2020. The company approached him with yet another payment plan which he failed to honour citing lockdown challenges. They then extended payment dates to 28 August 2020 and Magaya failed to clear the debt yet again. The company resorted to giving Magaya a 7-day ultimatum in which they threatened to take him to the courts if he failed to pay the debt.^[21]

Affiliation With Gunners Football Club

In 2015 Magaya was rumoured to a have interests in purchasing shares of Premier Soccer League side Gunners FC who were currently in a crisis of relagation.[4] His abundant love for the sport led him to purchasing major shares in the club in an agreement that he would acquire the controlling stake from club founder Cuthbert Chitima, who is also an Elder in his church, Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries.^[22]

The prophet was always a keen footballer as a youth and enjoyed everything football.

Walter-Magaya-playing-football

He went on to start broadcasting his team on the famous Yadah TV which seen the team inheriting the nickname Yadah Gunners ^[23]

Magaya promises to bring success to the club he supported in his boyhood and expresses his plans to complete the construction of a multi-million-dollar state-of-the-art multi-sports complex in Waterfalls, which he had abandoned midway into the project, but also help national football teams both financially and spiritually.[5]

Talent Show Launch

Magaya and his company Planet Africa launched an African Talent Show in March 2018. It was reported that the show was aimed at promoting talent in Africa. The auditions for the inaugural African Talent Show were to be run through Magaya’s Yadah Television, and auditions were conducted his hotel in Waterfalls, Harare. The top prize was reported to be $1 million.

African Talent Show seeks to identify and promote hidden African talent. We must start with singing and dancing, then we go to other talents. It must not only be for Zimbabwean participants, it is supposed to be African participants,” “It is not my money that I will be using. The partners that I have secured said whoever wins the competition will get a million.”^[24]

References