Court frees Tendai Magaya on bail, keeps preacher Walter Magaya locked up

HARARE — Tendai Magaya, wife of preacher Walter Magaya, who is facing fraud charges, was granted bail Tuesday by a Harare magistrate after being jointly charged with her husband for allegedly defrauding home-seekers.

The court heard that investigations into the case have been ongoing since 2023, but Tendai had not attempted to flee, despite the prosecution’s claim that she was a flight risk.

Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries founder Walter Magaya, who is facing separate rape charges, will, however, remain in custody after Magistrate Marewanazvo Gofa dismissed his application for immediate release. He was remanded in custody to November 13 on the rape charge and will seek bail at the High Court for both cases.

Magaya, his wife, and employee Tendai Chinguwa had argued they were unlawfully brought before the court after being detained beyond the 48-hour constitutional limit.

Gofa acknowledged that the trio had been overdetained but ruled that the violation did not justify their release.

“All applicants were overdetained but such overdetention has no effect on their release,” she said. “Accordingly, all accused have appeared before the courts… they have remedies before other courts as alluded to by the State.”